Singtel Blog Competition, 4 April 2004



Someone whom I have always viewed as a politically correct person, has stood right up and told us the bare-naked truth without mincing her words.



Ladies and gentlemen, read Janice's latest entry, with the seemingly harmless title, My dream d8.



Perhaps she is not afraid, because she is speaking the truth.



I know for a fact that people are voting for themselves. Think about it. They might have readers/fans/desperados supporting them, but how many would wake up at the wee hours of the morning like crazy Neo ("For the spirit of true blogsmanship, it is as much ur game as mine!")?



From the jump, jump, jumping of the rankings in the wee hours of the morning, we know something is amiss.



I know, because I earned my die-hard readers over 1 year of hard-core blogging. When I was in another blogging contest that won by just votes (free votes!), I merely had 200 + votes. Thats how lazy people are. They at most, just read. Few bother about the contest, and fewer are about to take out their wallets.



Within a sheer period of 1 or 2 months, its difficult to get readers who are ardent enough to vote for you all the way. Unless, of course, you are drop dead gorgeous.



The reason why American Idol viewers are so much more willing to vote lies in the title itself. The singers, are portrayed as idols. Icons that people look up to, and people go gaga over.



The interactivity of this contest, has made it such that we are nearer to telemarketers and further from idols.



Let's face it. Since when did Clay Aiken go like "Oooh I'm so happy I've got fans!" and name them one by one like the contestants are doing? There is nothing wrong with being appreciative of support, but it just goes to show how minute the fan base is - I guess.



Is self-voting considered cheating? Perhaps not then, some contestants might argue with you... "They say people must think that I am a dreamd8... Yeah, my mother think so lor..."



True enough. To play the game, one must go all the way. If you don't cheat, others will do so anyway. There is no point is saying "yeah you win but without glory." No point! She/he is walking away with US$5,000 and would use it to slap your face!



Perhaps another thing would be the ficticious (i am lazy to check the spelling) entries on how one contestant is in love with another. One suspects that it is all sensationalism to get readers.



That, I believe, is really saddening.



Playing smart? Cheating? You decide.



I'm gonna watch a movie now, be back laters with your peeps at 12am, on irc channel xiaxue k? Laters.