It really should be Arab Spring Guy. No one else is even close.
Think about it. Last year, it was Face Book Guy. This year it’s the guy who put Facebook into action to change the world (or at least a big part of it that needs some major changing).
Facebook also played a huge role in the Arab Spring, maybe they’ll give it to Zuckerberg again.
I’m thinking this could be my year. They’ve passed me up 50 years straight, but … [crosses fingers.]
I think it is definitely this guy. When you think of what has fundamentally changed in the world, or what will have repercussions decades down the line, the Arab Spring is the event of the last year. The Euro crisis is the second major event, but it’s not much of a viable contender for two reasons. The first is that there’s not really a face of the crisis. Perhaps Merkel or Merkel/Sarkosy. The second reason is that the Euro crisis hasn’t come to a resolution. With decent economic growth, the crisis may wind its way down without major change.
What are you talking about? No they haven’t.
(Awhile ago someone linked to a conspiracy article about Obama’s academic stint. I wanted to find out more about the author, so I poked around and found his “About me” page, on which he listed being Time Magazine’s 2006 person of the year; it told me what I needed to know.)
why bin laden or even kaddafi? i nominate friendster.
How about the Arab people in general-its not the first time Time has done a collective rather than individuals?
very likely the 99%, or “Occupy”–or the Arab people as Qin said.
I’m not convinced it has occurred to them to name Bouazizi.
OWS started fairly late in the year and has yet to influence any major events unlike Arab Spring.
What about Egypt’s Facebook Girl?
Or Giffords?
It’ll be Steve.
It’ll be a post-mortem send-off to Steve and his legacy in forging the face of personal computing as we know it today.
I was about to post to guess Mike Krzyzewski, as a way to recognize his accomplishments, with an article that talks about Penn State and Syracuse and The Role of College Sports in American Life.
But Gabby Giffords is my guess now too.
He actually made it to 2011, in a coma. Though the argument for him being picked would stand either way.
Though Steve Jobs would probably sell more books, so they’ll go with that.
mine is the late colonel mohamar kaddafi. that he had some dream and vision for his country there was little doubt. but many of his actions were terrible. a man who managed to remake himself and came back full circle. from a bloody dictator and terrorist coddler, to a pacifist statesman, and back to being bloody. from an outcast in the global community, then having all economic embargos lifted and gaining a UN security council membership, to suffering NATO airstrikes. from an oil bully to clinching lucrative supply deals with the UK and france.
one of the most charistmatic arab leaders being beaten bloody and shot on video. i don’t know about you guys but i felt very, very sorry he came to such an end.
I felt the same way about poor Adam Rich.
The goddamn Kardashians.
why feel sorry for him? after being a porn star, his is the best job in the world. oh, i thought you meant adam richman.
Man of the Year shouldn’t be Obit of the Year. 
How did getting shot in the head change anything?
Times has been kinda cautious with its Man of the Year designation since they got a lot of crap for choosing the Ayatollah in '80. I think they’d shy away from glorifying a guy whose claim to fame was a public and fairly gruesome suicide.