Some excerpts from our applications

At the GNU Public Dictatorship we are nothing if not pleased with excellence wherever we find it, which is why we continue to accept applications to the Board of Dictators in spite of the fact that in the history of the GPD only one applicant has ever succeeded in joining the Board of Dictators.  This year's crop of applicants looks promising, as is evidenced by (most of) the following (anonymized for now) excerpts from some of our applications*:

For Topic A: Explain what is wrong with the status quo, and provide concrete suggestions to improve it.

"...The status quo is wrong because the power is in the hands of the wrong people.  I propose that we build cement conduits to carry the power to the hands of the right people..."

"...I think that the best thing we can all do to improve the status quo is to stop accepting it as inevitable.  Sure, by definition the status quo is what it is, but why do we have to accept that?  Why shouldn't we all decide that the status quo is what it should be instead of what it is?  I have been promoting this idea in spite of my court-appointed therapist's objections for some time with little success, but I think that in the right venue I could really make a difference..."

For Topic D:  While we have known about the dangers of evil office products for quite some time, many world citizens still use them “professionally.” Many justify it by saying that their employers expect them to do so or that it isn’t affecting them, but recent studies show that more than half of “professional” evil-office-product users are addicted to them. “Natasha’s” recent bout with evil sticker addiction should serve as a warning to us all of how easy it is to become an addict. Please explain what motivates you to actively fight against even casual “professional” use of evil office products and how you would use your appointment to the Board of Dictators to keep everyone safe from these pernicious products.

"...'Professional' use of office products may seem like 'the thing to do' since everyone else does it, but I have successfully changed the culture in my office such that not only do we not use brads and hole punches, but we do not use anything on the GPD's watchlist of potentially evil office products.  I had three assistants that refused to cooperate, but now that all of the office is participating they keep each other in line and report any evil office product use before it becomes a pattern.  I would expand this pattern by..."

"...'Natasha' was weak, but we are all weak.  I recently had to refuse to use a hole punch at work, and was cited for it.  I appealed to HR and said that my religious and political views oppose the use of such instruments of evil, but I was ridiculed.  I ended up losing the position, but I am glad I did not give in.  People should not have to choose between their jobs and their convictions, and if I have anything to do with it they won't have to..."

We are encouraged by the quality and quantity of applicants so far, and we look forward to seeing your application if you have not already submitted it!

*As non-human supporters are not required to fill out the application, these answers are all from human applicants.  As we narrow the field for non-human applicants we will post some more information about them and their qualifications.