Running Dumb

It’s the time of elections for student groups. This means that there’s plenty of funny nonsense to pick up around school, nonsense in the form of election posters. Most posters are stupid, with silly slogans or none at all. Others are just plain weird. It’s time to fire some marketing managers.

If you’re the marketing manager coming out with a slogan to catch the eyes of bimbos who just needed some cosmetics and can’t be bothered about the chemical make up of such products, a catchy slogan like “Because you’re worth it.” is clever and effective. But if you’re running for office as leader and representative of the student population, it’s plain dumb to put “Because you deserve the best. =) ” (yes, smiley face included) under your name. Well I’m sure I deserve the best, but your poster is really not convincing me that you are the best. I don’t even freaking know what you stand for, other than some egoistic idea about you being better than everyone else.

If you’ve got a strange name that can relate to words with meanings, it’s not exactly the most intelligent thing to form slogans that play with your name. “If you wonder if there’s more to life than mugging, wonder no more.” just keeps me wondering about what plans you have. Do you mean that the “more to life” means living my life through you as you hold some office? Other slogans about adding drama and wonder into my life is just plain weird.

The worst type of posters are those that has only a professionally taken picture and no slogan or information except “Vote for XXX” and “Support YYY”. Such posters does nothing but scream “Support me because I’m so good looking!” Then there’s a dim-witted one that says “I’m running!” Well, I pretty much figured that out since you have an election poster. So do you mean I’m suppose to be so thankful to you for running that I simply have to vote for you even if you have no plans at all?

Some posters are much better, like the one with pictures of the candidate making funny faces and captions that include “crazy” and “eccentric”. The idea was that she’s funky, fun-loving and would spice up your SMU life. This is good because at the very least, I get a glimpse of who you are and what you stand for from your posters. There’s also a well thought out one with a list of values important to him. Many talk about change, nothing in specific but at least it’s not some meaningless and dumb slogans.

If we want to avoid becoming a university producing students who are “all fluff/looks/talk and no substance”, the least we could have are some good student representatives. From what I see in the posters, there’s no hope. Running for office means you need to show some plans, some ideas and something that you stand for. Catchy slogans are fine, but slogans that makes us wonder where your intellectual capabilities stand or what sort of personality you have is really, not helping.