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Comment by froo | Hacker News Reader

How will I change the world?

  Longterm:

I'm building my startup with a friend (we've applied to YC) which with we can help manage a common problem.

I can't really say what it is just yet, but we've got high expectations of ourselves.

  Short term:

I know this is going to sound like an immature prank, but I'll be helping to get Rick Astley voted as the Best Act Ever at this years MTV EMA in any way I can.

  Why you ask?

Well its sending a message that we don't want to be dictated too on what we should and shouldn't like - kind of like a virtual protest against the media in general.

When you consider some of the other acts up for nomination some of which I'd never heard of until yesterday (tokio hotel?), then you would understand - how can some of these artists (U2 is an exception) be classed as best acts ever when you've got the greats like the stones & beatles weren't even considered?

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Don't get me wrong, I'm rooting for you, but... I'm not sure if "get Rick Astley voted as the best act ever" and "change the world" belong in the same sentence.

How is rick rolling the world not world changing?

For me, it's not an attempt to rickroll the world, it's an attempt at making a bit of a statement.

The nomination was a bit of a practical joke, but when you consider who else was nominated it transcended the prank for me into what it is now.

(please forgive if this post seems incoherant, it's been a long night and I didnt get much sleep)

Well the way I look at it is like this, not everyone can single handedly save the world like Al Gore, there are many different ways you can change the world (for the better) and there are many small skirmishes I think need to be won in many areas.

For example, in this case, the thing that I believe is fundamentally wrong was a large organisation like MTV is dictating to the world what it's tastes should be (rather than asking them) by what they believe constitutes the best musical act ever, with a clear disregard for acts that are widely regarded as the greats (The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix).

Tokio Hotel is the obvious example here, I hadn't even heard of them until I saw the campaign to get Rick Astley nominated on reddit.

It's been happening with companies for years, not just related to media organisations (hey guys, buy Windows ME - it's the best thing ever!) and so in this case, a large organisation left themselves open to get egg on their face... in a very public way that goes completely against their standard operating procedure.

It's not just a fight against one company, it's an example to all organisations that people should decide what is good for them, not the other way around.

That being said, you can also look at it in a sarcastic/dark humorous manner.

"If Rick wins over Tokio Hotel, imagine all the emo kids that will suicide in disgust, thus making the world a better place"

Either would be an acceptable outcome.

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