Kids are so cute.

In Please Vote for Me, an experiment in democracy is conducted on an elementary class in China, which the documentary introduces as a totalitarian world where the adults aren't any more familiar with the political system than the three kids who will appeal to their classmates for votes so they can become "class monitor". This break from state conditioning exposes human nature as some of the kids start pulling dirty tricks just like in our elections, the voters prove fickle and easy to manipulate (same), and I guess the teacher is the media, smiling along as her third-graders don't play fair. It's extremely easy to draw parallels with our own systems... at least these kids can say they're just 9 years old, right? And in a way, more honest. At least they cry when they feel shame, and overtly call part of their campaign a talent show. Some will judge a few of the parents harshly for the way they stage manage their child, but they're also coming at democracy from a blind angle. I don't know if there was an intent either way, but it feels more like a savage critique of democracy than any kind of encouragement. It certainly shows are limited understanding of the concept - and sorry folks, but I think our own society isn't that much more informed generally - is a fast track to corruption. Extremely engaging.