Thursday, April 15, 2010

clever lines that spark fiery discussion

So I might be a little bitter towards Sciences Po for making my life, well, academically difficult, but I do love this grand école.  Students are engaged here.  Case in point: the Sciences Po bathroom graffiti.  Instead of inviting phone numbers and sexual visuals [don't get me wrong, I do love these], this is what you'll find on the inside of the toilet stalls:

"Les enfants croient au Père Noël, les adultes votent"
"Children believe in Santa Claus, adults vote"


How powerful is that?  Yeah, it is a little - or a lot - pessimistic, and I do prefer positive thoughts, but wow, point taken.

Here's another:
"Please leave the State in the toilet in which you found it"

Okay, this one is also pessimistic.  But these clever lines spark fiery discussion.  Abstention rates in France are very high - half of the population didn't vote at the last regional elections.  But the action taken away from the polls hasn't disappeared.  It still exists, in the bathrooms, during strikes, on blank ballots.  Bathroom trips have never been so inspiring.

1 comment:

  1. Also a quote from Michael Moorcock's "The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle"/"Gold Diggers of 1977"

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