Vandalize the Right Things

I hate the person I was in high school.

That's not true.

Well yeah actually it sorta is but hate is way to strong of a word and it gets tossed around a bit to freely these days.

I strongly dislike the person I was in high school.

Apparently, after asking around most of us hated the people we were in high school.  But that didn't stop me from not going to my ten year reunion.  Despite my current low body fat percentage, my trophy wife, and my beautiful son I still had little to no desire to see the people I acted like such a moron in front of for four years.  I didn't feel that I had anything to prove to them.  I just had literally no desire to go back.  I guess maybe it's because I wasted all of my prove juice in those four years.  I was never Ben Dodge in high school, except around my closest friends.  Otherwise, I was to busy trying to be...  I dunno fucking Justin Timberlake maybe?

"Ben nobody cares about your teenage angst.  Get to the point already!"  Okay sorry point taken.  12 years ago during an intense election season.  The little punk I used to be was starting to become interested in politics.  Not in the constructive volunteer for campaign way but rather in the aggro "fuck Bush" sorta way.  My primary political contribution was kicking over people's republican yard signs.

"Nice Ben that's real mature.  Are you actually proud of this?  Is this why you're sharing?"

No.

I'm not proud at all.  It doesn't help.  If anything, it hurts the candidates I supported because it reinvigorated the other side to fight for their candidate even harder, and in the face of adversity.  Other than the swiftboaters, you could pretty much blame me for Bush getting elected.

This gets me to the title of this post.  If you're gonna be a punk vandal, you have to do it right.  If you REALLY have to kick over a yard sign (which I do not endorse in any way anymore) kick over the ones of people you support!  This will reinvigorate your allies and help your candidate!  This applies too with anything in life.  If you want to advance your agenda, the best way to get people to notice is to make it the victim.  Cynical, yes but absolutely true (Just look at our current Republican primary.)

So how do you rise above the cynical?  Easy.  With humor.  Take somebody's crazy to an even more ridiculous level, and bring clarity to the situation.

A great example of this is my friend Sally.  Technically I guess she's more of an acquaintance.  I went to high school with her and am friends with her on facebook.  And the real Ben Dodge actually had maybe a bit of a crush on Sally but Ben Dodge was awfully shy and Justin Timberlake said I should be more interested in the plastics.  Anyway here is Sally and a friend crashing a Newt Gingrich rally as "pro open-marriage republicans."  This is to me absolutely hilarious and rebellion in it's highest form.

Hopefully someday I'll be this creative

I guess that's all I have to say.  Thanks again for reading!

-Ben