# Time Person of the Year 2022 **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 28, 2022, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2022/960206 "2022-02-28T00:37:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2022/960206/1 "2022-02-28T00:37:44Z")
As of today, Volodymyr Zelenskyy is a slam dunk to win. But, it’s not even March yet, so who knows what will happen? Covid has shown us that it doesn’t like to be ignored. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2022/960206/2 "2022-02-28T01:17:26Z")
IIRC, the title is not supposed to be an honor, but merely a recognition that a particular person, group of people, or even inanimate object has had major impact on the events of the year. While I agree Zelenskyy is performing heroically during this war, he is not the one with the most impact. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2022/960206/3 "2022-02-28T01:19:30Z")
I’d argue Putin would be likelier. As the aggressor, and the one who ultimately calls the shots, he has a greater impact than Zelensky himself. The Time POY is most **impactful** , not necessarily most virtuous - that’s why people like Hitler got the distinction in the past. That being said, though, sometimes Time magazine caves in to public pressure when it’s intense enough. That’s why Rudy Giuliani was named Time POY in 2001 rather than Osama bin Laden, even though bin Laden was far more impactful that year. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2022/960206/4 "2022-02-28T02:09:36Z")
OTOH if Putin somehow backs down, get deposed, or even meets with an untimely accident, Zelenskyy would almost certainly be the choice. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2022/960206/5 "2022-02-28T02:15:53Z")
Since every single one of these discussions just picks whoever most made the news at the moment im pretending it’s 2 weeks ago and I nominate Eileen Gu. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2022/960206/6 "2022-02-28T02:32:48Z")
Fair enough to point out that the news changes, but it’s really tough to see what could be bigger news this year than the Ukraine War. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2022/960206/7 "2022-02-28T02:51:54Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > The Time POY is most **impactful** , not necessarily most virtuous - that’s why people like Hitler got the distinction in the past. But in practice, Time DOESN’T always give it to the most impactful. They have a slight bias to the good story. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2022/960206/8 "2022-02-28T03:18:42Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > it’s really tough to see what could be bigger news this year than the Ukraine War. Dude! Have you never watched a movie?! Why would you EVER say such a thing??? Fuck, man, we’re screwed now. Signed, A two-weeks-away-from-retirement JohnT. I got a name for the boat and everything. 😋 ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2022/960206/9 "2022-02-28T04:24:35Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > > [@Chronos](#): > > > > it’s really tough to see what could be bigger news this year than the Ukraine War. > > Dude! Have you never watched a movie?! Why would you EVER say such a thing??? Yes, that’s too close to “I don’t see what could be bigger news this year than Franz Ferdinand’s assassination.” Let’s all hope the Ukraine War remains the biggest news story of the year. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2022/960206/10 "2022-02-28T04:39:23Z")
If Donald Trump decided to crash the 2022 midterms by creating his own “Patriots Party” like he’s threatened to in the past, that would also be a giant news story later this year. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2022/960206/11 "2022-02-28T05:09:10Z")
> [@Kent\_Clark](#): > > OTOH if Putin somehow backs down, get deposed, or even meets with an untimely accident, . . . If Putin does one of those things, that would be the most impactful of all. As for that incident in 2001 . . . > [@Velocity](#): > > That’s why Rudy Giuliani was named Time POY in 2001 rather than Osama bin Laden, even though bin Laden was far more impactful that year. The guys flying those hijacked jets were the most impactful of all. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2022/960206/12 "2022-02-28T05:17:35Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Signed, > > A two-weeks-away-from-retirement JohnT. I got a name for the boat and everything. Yeah…You might want to rename it the “S.S. Minnow”. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2022/960206/13 "2022-02-28T05:20:11Z")
Got one last call, guys. Let me grab my badge and weapon, I’m sure this will be an easy nab. I won’t even need a vest. ~Retirement, here I come!~ ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2022/960206/14 "2022-02-28T05:58:17Z")
But only if anyone cares. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2022/960206/15 "2022-02-28T10:49:18Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Fair enough to point out that the news changes, but it’s really tough to see what could be bigger news this year than the Ukraine War. Next COVID variant: “Hold my beer.” mmm ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2022/960206/16 "2022-02-28T14:37:17Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > Next COVID variant: “Hold my beer.” The next Greek letter/variant is Pi; as we know, Pi never ends. 😳 ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2022/960206/17 "2022-02-28T14:45:29Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > A two-weeks-away-from-retirement JohnT. I got a name for the boat and everything. Is it “The Sloop John T.”? ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2022/960206/18 "2022-02-28T15:03:40Z")
😢😢😢 _This is JohnT’s wife. He spent a lot of time here and you meant a lot to him, so I must regretfully… sigh… does anyone want to buy a boat?_ ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2022/960206/19 "2022-02-28T16:06:15Z")
I was actually going to start this thread today as well. Time has mostly done away with the “most impactful” side of things, especially if it means picking the more favorable and optimistic side of the story. They’ll never pick Putin again, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2022/960206/20 "2022-09-14T16:51:04Z")
Time to bump this thread… My current top three: 1. Zelenskyy 2. The generic “Ukranian Freedom Fighter” 3. King Charles III (maybe 2023, especially if that’s when the coronation takes place, unless something happens to Biden, in which case it’s pretty much automatically Kamala Harris) It won’t be Putin, any more than Osama bin Laden had a chance in 2001. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2022/960206.md?page=2)