Subcultural engagement for the 21st Century...
Barbelith is a new kind of community (find out more)...
You can login or register.

School elections: Popularity contest or fascinating social experiment?

flufeemunk effluvia

20:00 / 27.04.04

I am running for Junior Class president simply to campaign. I have made all sorts of cool posters like one with a picture of Richard Simmons that says "Be super! Vote for [me]!". Another I stole from the Cthulhu for President website: "Why vote for a lesser evil?". I have flyers that say "Take Down The Man: Vote for [me]". I intend to make stickers featuring the likeness of Mr. T. saying "I pity the po' fool who don't be voting for Alex. ". In my campaign speech I will portray myself as a despotic villain. I am severely interested in how a self-depricating gampaing will pan out.

grant

21:20 / 27.04.04

If you really wanted to be creepy, you could steal images & layouts from Nazi & Stalinist propaganda posters and put your own words over them.

I think if you look for "propaganda" in the Art&Design forum, you'll find a few great links for that. Like this one, here.

And don't forget the lessons of the lovely "Know your place, Shut your face!" antiwar poster archive.

flufeemunk effluvia

21:41 / 27.04.04

I did make one which simply said "WOO!" then showed a picture of Josef Stalin, and then it said "Vote for [me] for Junior Prez". I think I was the only one who found it even remotely funny. Oh well.

grant

17:19 / 28.04.04

I think with the totalitarian propaganda, you have to be COMPLETELY STRAIGHT FACED.

Like "A Better Tomorrow for (Name of school). A Better Candidate. A Better Way."

That kind of thing -- something that a totalitarian system would totally believe about itself.

grant

17:31 / 28.04.04

Like, take this poster:

Replace slogan with: "Building a New Future for (Name of School)."

Either remove swastika or else replace with school mascot.

On this big one, the text reads: "Enough! Vote Hitler!"

Just replace that with, in English, "Enough! Vote (your name)!" and make sure you blot out the swastika belt buckle the guy is wearing.

It might help if you associated your campaign with some easy, simple symbol -- like a green dot inside a red circle or something. A brand you could put on all posters & pamphlets.

Tryphena Absent

17:38 / 28.04.04

What you need is an art student to create original propaganda posters for you and a think tank to come up with slogans. I would offer my services but I'm rubbish. It sounds to me like you need some leather... villains wear leather.

ibis the being

17:51 / 28.04.04

I campaigned for some student office using my stunning poster-making abilities in high school. And I won! And I wasn't popular! So be sure to wield the awesome power of posters wisely young man.

Warewullf

18:11 / 28.04.04

I have nothing to contribute except to say I fucking love this idea.

Keep a diary, Alex. There's a movie in there somewhere...

gingerbop

22:10 / 28.04.04

Just out of interest, what do junior class presidents do? I assume you wouldn't have the power to eradicate any chosen community within your school, unless it's French teachers?

Char Aina

23:33 / 28.04.04

anarchist images thread

Axolotl

08:53 / 29.04.04

When my school foolishly placed me & my friends in charge of the common room committee all we did was produce sinister posters, based on soviet propaganda deriding enemies of the people and extolling the brilliant success of our 5 year plan. However apart from these posters we accomplished nothing.
In an aside I fully recomend "my affair with stalin" by Simon Sebag-Montefiore, about a school boy who models his school career on that of Joseph Stalin, v. good.

William Sack

09:17 / 29.04.04

An aside to your aside, Phyrefox. I went to the same college as Simon Sebag-Montefiore, and there was a story about him that may shed some light on his communist credentials. I hasten to add that I didn't know Simon S-M, and I can't vouch for the truth of this story. An alumnus of my college, one Enoch Powell, was invited to address some meeting within the college and a protest was staged where protesters attempted to prevent people from attending by seizing their shoes. One protester tried to grab Simon S-M's shoes but S-M booted him in the face with the words "Eat Gucci comrade." I stress, this may well be completely untrue or grossly embellished, but I am faithfully reporting what I have heard.

Add Your Reply