Student Politics a Psychopath's Training Ground?

ClovenHoof

I was talking with some friends the other night about the various Irish and UK colleges and unis we attended, and we all had more or less the same story concerning the individuals who get into (and remain in) Student Politics and Student Unions leadership positions in that these entities are a repository for the most loathsome, self absorbed and vile personality types who use the funds for themselves, and many end-up in politics after they graduate.

Any sincere students who went into Student Politics for genuine reasons were very soon shunned out of the clique built around a small circle of protectionist psychopaths. I found it remarkable that the same experiences were described within Third Level institution on both sides of the Irish Sea.

Is this the norm, or did we just get unlucky when we were in Third Level. Has it improved?

Most people involved with student politics will cringe with embarrassment and hope their antics will be forgotten once they've grown up a bit and realise that life outside college is rather different and proper grown-ups are less impressionable.

Unfortunately for them, the internet will not allow this to happen.

Spoon Head

Most of them are **** for sure.

Jimbob1977

When I was at university in 1997, we were canvassed at the Annual Student Ball by a candidate in the upcoming Union election.

It was something like the Welfare Officer or Education Officer. A big deal for him... but most students don't avail or care about the Students Union.

Most people were drunk or dancing, so he got a few seconds of canvassing with everyone.

It was interesting that his friends and Cumann associates were guiding him and coaching him around the room.... just like a mini General Election. He won the election.

Turn the clock forward ten years and he became a Fianna Fail TD. The effort had paid off!!!

There are three types of people in Student politics....

1) Dreamers who want to make a difference

2) Dogmatic politicians that are blinded by an ideology or cause

3) Opportunists that lay the groundwork for Dail Eireann

They aren't psychopaths.... just ambitious or ideologues

Samaris

Candie wrote: »

Most people involved with student politics will cringe with embarrassment and hope their antics will be forgotten once they've grown up a bit and realise that life outside college is rather different and proper grown-ups are less impressionable.

Unfortunately for them, the internet will not allow this to happen.

Given the state of the world at the moment, politics-wise, are you sure about that?

pablomakaveli

I wouldnt say most of them are psychopaths but a lot of the ones in the SU when I was in college seemed to be useless. The elections were more like a popularity contest with candidates getting friends to go around putting up posters or getting good looking female friends to put on shorts and a "Vote for Dave" t-shirt and hand out sweets. None of the candidates ever seemed to say what they'd do once elected. Says it all really.

Winterlong

I went to university in the UK in the early 90s.
The only candidate I can remember running for any student council election was a fella who changed his name by deed poll to Free Beer.

Lemming

pablomakaveli wrote: »

I wouldnt say most of them are psychopaths but a lot of the ones in the SU when I was in college seemed to be useless. The elections were more like a popularity contest with candidates getting friends to go around putting up posters or getting good looking female friends to put on shorts and a "Vote for Dave" t-shirt and hand out sweets. None of the candidates ever seemed to say what they'd do once elected. Says it all really.

This, I suspect, is the lasting recollection for most people who attend third-level institutions of their Student's Union body. Certainly was for mine; only no girls in short-shorts handing out sweets. I feel cheated & deprived now :pac:

PlamenDon

Spoon Head wrote: »

Most of them are **** for sure.

Fully Agree.

runawaybishop

pablomakaveli wrote: »

I wouldnt say most of them are psychopaths but a lot of the ones in the SU when I was in college seemed to be useless. The elections were more like a popularity contest with candidates getting friends to go around putting up posters or getting good looking female friends to put on shorts and a "Vote for Dave" t-shirt and hand out sweets. None of the candidates ever seemed to say what they'd do once elected. Says it all really.

Says a lot more about the people voting for them tbh

suicide_circus

Wall to wall tossers

Richard Hillman

Anybody heavily involved in politics at a young age is a burgeoning left or right fascist. Usually a left fascist

KingBrian2

I was always pushed to stand for class president in my school. Cronyism at its finest.:) Fair to say I would never get involved in a class election if you paid me.

jimmy blevins

The USI was a proxy of the workers party until Joe duffy took over, it's been downhill since then.

andekwarhola

Psychopaths seems a little OTT.

Presumably you got pipped to the ENTS post by Jeremy Fotherington-Fuckwit on a split vote in 1997.

RayM

Spoon Head wrote: »

Most of them are **** for sure.

The political equivalent of full-kit-****.