The German word schadenfreude refers to taking pleasure from someone else's misfortune. Students seem to be experiencing a great deal of schadenfreude toward Associated Students of Madison after two botched student elections and a third that drew microscopic turnout. Indeed, one thing that the dueling op-ed pages of The Daily Cardinal and The Badger Herald have always agreed upon is that ASM and its leaders are deserving of frequent scorn and belittling.
What makes ASM such an enjoyable potshot target? There are plenty of controversial student organizations on this campus. Why is it so darn fun to pick on ASM in particular?
As a former ASM volunteer, I can say that from what I have seen, the widely-held perception that ASMers are all corrupt and out for themselves and their resumes is mostly not true. The vast majority of the people I met in ASM were people who genuinely care about student issues and want to help make policy that is beneficial to students.
However, a few people, particularly in the leadership, take themselves way too seriously and seem to equate being in the student government to being in Congress.
They spend precious time quibbling over Robert's Rules of Order and invoking obscure procedural rules as if they're U.S. senators. They weigh in on national issues like the war in Iraq and the Patriot Act. They take delight in being offended, demanding apologies and walking out in protest.
What are they protesting, you may ask? As Marlon Brando says in 'The Wild One,' 'Whaddaya got'? They appear oblivious to the fact that their petty, melodramatic bickering makes them look like toddlers playing make-believe government. This last point is particularly troubling because ASM, for all its absurd aspects, controls a hefty, seven-figure budget and is most definitely not make-believe.
ASM bears other similarities to the real government: corruption, wasted money, disputed elections and pointless, short-sighted antics. The pinnacle was reached two years ago when ASM volunteers razzed Chancellor John Wiley with childish slogans after he refused their demands to answer complex questions with a simplistic yes or no. Although the intent was to humiliate Wiley, it ended up humiliating only ASM.
What does it say about ASM that it emulates not only the structures of real government but the flaws of it as well? For all the declarations that students are a serious political force to be dealt with, is student government still based simply on hero worship and imitation of adults? And what does it say about us in the peanut gallery that instead of getting involved and trying to reform ASM, we simply sit back and laugh at its incompetence?
Psychologists are now suggesting that the human brain is still in the maturing process into one's early 20s. Is it possible that instead of the high-minded adults we think we are, we're actually still, well, college kids?
If that's the case, it doesn't mean that ASM is doomed to be a punch-line for eternity. Students can still reform their government, but they can do it by being students and not wannabe senators. They can drop the titles, the elected officials, the procedural hogwash and the Iraq war resolutions, and get down to strictly student issues.
College Library's 24-hour schedule was ASM's doing, as was adding a student to the UW Board of Regents. These are the kinds of accomplishments toward which student government should be striving. Of course, reform of ASM won't guarantee they'll find the ability to laugh at themselves. But not to worry, someone will always be there to take great schadenfreude in doing that for them.
