Democracy, Meritocracy or Selective Democracy

India has always been democratic from time immemorial. It is not surprising that our leaders of independent India chose this path and till this date have not deviated from it except for a very small time period during the emergency. I completely agree that the way our democracy functions is not perfect. But it is definitely more desirable than other despotic governments where everyone's freedom is curtailed. But is democracy the right thing in every aspect of life.

I am specially interested in discussing about people playing a major role in selecting someone in art or music talent competition. Is it fair to ask people to judge in the field of arts and music? Are people really equipped to make such decisions? I agree that ultimately it is the public that is going to listen to the songs by the one they choose so why not give them the opportunity to choose their singer. There are technicalities and nuances in music which not everyone understands. I can understand when the contest is very tight the audience vote could go either ways. But when one participant sings far better than the other, then one has to be tone deaf to vote that person out. Moreover one is not restricted to vote just once for a contestant. It is very subjective, I agree, about what one likes or dislikes. Elimination should be a gradual process in any competition. My sentiments were actually reflected in one of the episodes of Indian Idol competition when judges walked out because a good singer was voted out compared to the other singer and said that they had controlled themselves for very long but this was the limit.

We know what type of MP/MLAs get elected to the parliament and keep getting elected time and again. Illiterate and poor have been exploited for years in India for different reasons. Can people really make any informed decisions given that there is lack of basic awareness? While I am writing I have mixed feelings about it. I have been following this competition for quite sometime now and episode after episode I notice that good participants get out before the not so good ones. Why does this happen, even after regular pleading by the judges. People more often than not vote by their emotions. Also many a times it tends to be sympathy votes.

Should it go like this? If it does, then there is a very high probability that all good singers will be voted out and what will be left, would be a mediocre singer. One can say that if that is what has been chosen by the Indian public then so be it. People are the ones who are going to listen/see that singer if the singer ever gets any chance. So through this churning process one day we can hope to get some good singers till that time we can only hope. If people in our country really have the ability to decide and judge then I wonder why we still do not have jury system in our courts.