The counting’s done and we have the top stories of the year, calculated by the number of readers clicks. We present the top ten in reverse order – and with refreshed headlines for added value.
10. Critical miscalculation at the New York Times
9. What it takes to stop Mahler’s 9th
8. ‘This is no life,’ say Vienna Philharmonic players
7. US orchestras just can’t get it together
6. Devastating loss of a young pianist
5. These people don’t like my body art
4. Remember Romney? He was going to dismember the arts.
3. They’re shutting down your software.
2. Won’t you stay a little longer?
And, drum roll, at number 1, the most-read story of 2012 is:
The political tattoo that lit up the Games, as France outswam the US.
Who’d have guessed?
Jackie Evancho fans may be reassured that she did not appear anywhere near the top twenty most-read.
Interesting. I’m glad the blog on Obama and Romney was up there.
Perhaps, just perhaps, it means a few people paid attention to what they could do in a practical sense as the presidential campaign headed into the home straight.
One person for example, said she’d make a point of volunteering to help get people to register. Whether or not she did, the act of putting those thoughts out there for others to read was a constructive contribution to the world. And aren’t those the only contributions we want to promote? Ideological idiocy and associated destructive behaviours are ubiquitous, and indeed require little effort – hence their ubiquity. Constructive action entails more effort. But I think it’s worth it.