19 Year-Old Mayor of Oklahoma Town is a Gamer

[curiousjane]

He's 19. He rocks at Halo 3. And he just became mayor.

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Living proof that

a) Teenagers are mature enough to run a town?
b) Gamers have highly developed analytical and strategical abilities?
c) Living in your mom's basement is good for you?
d) If you put your mind to it, you can achieve anything ... ?

Wow. That's all I have to say. At 19, I was trying to figure out why nobody was asking me out. I never thought of trying to get them to vote for me. :p

[anul]

What an inspiring story.

[Jgib5328]

I'm 19, but I think that's ridiculous. What does a 19 year old know about running a city?

[Mozzes]

I'm 19, but I think that's ridiculous. What does a 19 year old know about running a city?

Probably nothing, but that just puts him in the same boat as most other politicians.

[Jgib5328]

Probably nothing, but that just puts him in the same boat as most other politicians.

Yeah, but he does have very little life experience. I guess it isn't that bad since it's not like he's the only one making the decisions or doing work, he'll have a bunch of people below him.

[AgentofGaming]

Whoa this story sounds better than playing Simcity...

Yeah, but he does have very little life experience. I guess it isn't that bad since it's not like he's the only one making the decisions or doing work, he'll have a bunch of people below him.

He's is a registered republican and has been president of both republican and democrat clubs at his school that has to be worth something. That's more prepared than any of the other students you could pick out of school. As well that background probably beats the more life-experienced adults.


In the article it says the mayor is an unpaid position. I wonder if he'll be continuing his post-secondary education and how he'll be able to make a living.

[Ool]

I'm 19, but I think that's ridiculous. What does a 19 year old know about running a city?

Well, from my numerous hours of playing SimCity 4 I know that if you build a road overpass across a highway with a highway toll booth right adjacent to the road that the cars going across the road can jump onto the toll booth and so enter the highway without an on-ramp.

The same goes for bus stops touching both a road and a highway…

[athenian200]

Living proof that

a) Teenagers are mature enough to run a town?

He's probably an exception to the rule. There have been documented cases of "whiz kids" and such. He has slightly above average intelligence, but excellent charisma and interpersonal skills, and I think that's what got him elected. That and the fact that it's a small town.

b) Gamers have highly developed analytical and strategical abilities?

The best do, anyway. Many people are terrible at games, but just keep playing all the time anyway, perhaps eventually beating the main storyline on sheer luck and determination. In a game like Halo, they might even just enjoy blowing stuff up and mocking the people they kill even if they keep dying or not accomplishing anything.

c) Living in your mom's basement is good for you?

For an introvert or someone trying save money when they're younger... it might be, for a while. But if you're still living there after about 25 or so (barring a major life crisis that prevents you from having any alternatives), then you're a screw-up.

d) If you put your mind to it, you can achieve anything ... ?

:) That's good advice at anytime. Granted, some things are unacheivable, but if you at least do your best to get there, you may find you got at least part of what you wanted. So you should put your mind to anything you want to achieve, because you never know what's possible.

Wow. That's all I have to say. At 19, I was trying to figure out why nobody was asking me out. I never thought of trying to get them to vote for me. :p

That's probably because you were insecure. Most teenagers are insecure, actually, and require some kind of external validation like being part of a clique, or having a really attractive date. The ones that can get these things seem happy on the surface, but inside they're really very obsessive and worried about maintaing thier position at any cost, and still so insecure they often feel a need to look down on others. The ones who don't, they just become geeks. Then, there are people like him. He didn't seek validation, just knew he was valuable, which made him seem confident to others, earning him their respect almost by default, and as he didn't need it, he was willing to take more risks and try more things in order to get what he wanted, earning him respect as ambitious and responsible, which was probably aided by his natural talent for reading people.

Of course, that's just a guess. I could be wrong.

[Dreamer]

He...has been president of both republican and democrat clubs at his school that has to be worth something. How in the world does that make something competent in running a city?:huh:

[AgentofGaming]

Well, from my numerous hours of playing SimCity 4 I know that if you build a road overpass across a highway with a highway toll booth right adjacent to the road that the cars going across the road can jump onto the toll booth and so enter the highway without an on-ramp.

The same goes for bus stops touching both a road and a highway…
I loved those glitches but hey a little toll for highway teleportation is worth it :thumbsup:
I think the bus one is cool where people can board the bus on the highway if the bus stop is adjacent, now that's rapid transit.


How in the world does that make something competent in running a city?:huh:

Well you'd have to define running a city and I think that's pretty broad in the number of tasks.
Does it involve interacting with politicians?
Does it involve interacting with upper levels of government?
Is it a leadership role?
You have to consider that the town treasurer does the treasury and the urban planner plans the city, and the mayor directs them. Of course I could be wrong coming from another country.

[SShack]

Yeah, keep in mind, in most cities, the mayor doesn't actually "run" the town any more than the president actually runs the country. Here, the mayor is really just one vote in five on the City Council with a few additional powers that don't add up to a whole lot.