With the gloomy clouds of Elections 2019 hovering above us, one can’t help but feel weary from the conversations revolving around politics. Crucial as they are, recent talks about politics anywhere have been a displeasing mix of incertitude and dismay. As a first-time voter, I can’t help but wish for more welcoming spaces that allow for a lucid inference of the what’s actually going on. Something that’s likely to help crack a smile than break a sweat. So, in that spirit I ask you this: What if Tinder took over elections?
No, no, I’m not asking you to go on a date with a sleazy politician. Think about it: with your registered voter ID, you can vote in your hometown from anywhere in the world. With a single tap, you can view the promises a candidate makes to see if it interests you. You can thus browse through the local candidates as you either right swipe them to victory, or left swipe them to downfall.
While this is likely to never exist, one can’t help but appreciate the creativity behind this tongue-in-cheek concept. A cloud studio named Double Clap is the company behind it, “We gave the macro problems a thought, while fondling with our respective smartphones. What made solutions for dating, booking a cab, ordering food, crowdfunding a prototype etc possible? User experience (UX). What’s wrong with fundamentally everything that concerns us as citizens and participants of a young democracy? UX. This got us to think. What if voting for your candidate was as simple as swiping through Tinder? Can the intuitive UI/UX of a dating app inspire the election process? What if watching a campaign promise be fulfilled was as easy waiting for your ride to arrive?”
They have also come with quirky versions for Uber and Indiegogo. In Uber, you could rate the minister and record any issues faced as the nation reaches its goal destination. And with Indiegogo, you can view the political project of your choice, learn their story and goal, and know how your contribution will help them achieve it.
This zany satire does ask an important question: in this digital age, can’t Indian politics in general be made more coherent and less abstract? Time will tell. So till then, don’t forget to make the correct swipe this election for your next 5-year relationship.
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