The Tyranny Of Public Ratings In Our Hyper-Democracy

By Manu Joseph in Mint:

I wonder what the average rating of all husbands in the world might be. Will it be the highest in Scandinavian nations? Will husbands who have a 4.5 star-rating become famous among women? Would men with low testosterone levels have higher ratings? Will five stars be called ‘an Obama’? Will the global average rating of wives be higher than the average rating of husbands?

This may never happen. My rating as a husband is of course known to me, sadly, but it will never be public knowledge. But the modern world is full of ratings. Toothpastes are rated; their delivery, too, is rated. This is the age of collective opinion, and its hyper-democracy. So, while the review of a spouse is still in the territory of the melancholy poem, many other evaluations are open to public view.

Most people today are at risk of being rated, and they live in the terror of ratings. Big and small hotels, restaurants, doctors, dentists, taxi drivers, even passengers, hosts, guests, tutors, gyms, pools, retailers. And, of course, in case it slipped your mind, films and books. Once, only a professional critic could rate stuff; now everyone rates everyone else. The presiding indignity of the world is people pleading with you—or pretending not to plead—for a high rating.

Here’s the full story.