The charming documentary Please Vote for Me documents an unprecedented election for class monitor in a third grade classroom in the city of Wuhan, China.
The filmmakers appear to be implying that when it comes to democracy, the Chinese have the experience of a third grader and can be too easily swayed by gifts, field trips and spirited singalongs. It’s a great movie.
But if Americans, by comparison, have the experience of a college student, we’ve only just left our most sophomoric era. Beer busts, Ayn Rand seminars, a dramatic coup by the College Republicans.
Does the election of President Obama mean we’ve entered grad school? Heavily indebted, well-read, cash poor, with a secure if low-paying career ahead of us.