The impact of popular culture on American politics
Media, social media, and Hollywood have a greater grasp on our nation than many realize. Their influence is threatening our nation’s future.
When Donald Trump won the presidency in 2016, most of us were surprised, even those of us that supported him. Throughout the entire election, Trump was seen as a candidate that couldn’t possibly win, and almost every major poll, with the exception of a few, such as, incredibly, the Los Angeles Times, predicted that he would lose, and lose badly. As we all know, it didn’t turn out that way, and on the weekend that followed right after the election, rallies were staged across America, with women wearing pink hats, and holding signs that advocated for women’s rights. Masked as a “pro woman” event, the truth was this was anger over the outcome of the election, and not so much women’s rights. Ask Jennifer Flowers if she was invited to speak at any of the rallies, or maybe Monica Lewinsky. Despite the fact that you could easily name a few dozen democrat politicians who have been accused of inappropriate behavior, this was bitterness over Trump’s victory, plain and simple. As of right now, eight women have come forward to accuse Biden of touching them, and making suggestive comments, but all have been massively ignored, especially during the 2020 election season. His daughter has penned private thoughts in her diary that have received little attention. And it’s not hard to figure out why. For all their bolstering about “believe all women”, the media are going to use all the influence they can to ensure Democrats win elections.
And so will Hollywood. And so will social media. Saturday Night Live opened up their first show after the 2016 election with Kate McKinnon, the actress who impersonates Hillary Clinton, singing “Hallelujah”. Though the Clintons are arguably the most corrupt individuals on the face of the planet, this too was a non factor with the celebrities who endorsed her. None of it matters. SNL reaches out to millions of viewers, particularly, the coveted 18-34 year old demographic, which showed their power over the 2022 mid terms. Baby Boomers are still influencing elections, though their numbers are starting to decrease, and Generation X’s views are typically fiscally conservative and socially liberal, though they appear to have had enough of CRT and drag queen story hour. Millennials seem to lean democrat, but surprisingly, might not be as democrat as once believed. But Generation Z, those born since 1997, was overwhelmingly for democrats on November 8th. This is a demographic many Republicans have failed to reach over the last two election cycles, and it’s time to start changing this mindset.
Here is where conservative Xer’s and Millennial have failed miserably. Tied up with work, helicopter parenting, overuse of technology, and an all out let “kids be kids” mentality has led to a generation of young voters seemingly starry eyed in their ideology of what they believe the world should be, and what it actually really is. Ironically, the lockdowns of 2020 showed parents what is actually going on in many public schools across the country, which often was a focus on social justice issues, and little on academics. The proof is in the statistics. Considerably lower test scores, and a wider gap of academic comprehension between rich and poor has been eye opening for American parents. The problem however, goes beyond education. How many stories have we heard of parents arguing with sports referees, refusing to acknowledge the actions of their kid’s behavior, and unsupervised use of accessing material online? We are now feeling the impact.
It shouldn’t be a surprise to us when we see Generation Z responding to campaign slogans of “free stuff” by giving those candidates their vote. Yes, this is not uncommon with young voters; however, past generations often questioned the legitimacy of such claims. Not so much anymore, as many believe that Universal Basic Income, Medicare for all, and forgiveness of student loans is not just an idea, but almost a birthright. It’s a sad state of affairs when many believe entitlements are based on what they are owed, rather than need and merit. Abortion, which despite the sky is falling claims is still legal in all states, was another issue many young voters viewed as priority. Here again is moral failure of society. Though the realities of why abortion should occur exist, long gone is the notion that they should be rare, safe and legal.
Jack Nicholson once said we learn to kiss, drink, talk to our buddies from the movies. He’s right. Only now, it’s youtubers and tik tokers that have the biggest influence. Though there is much we can’t control, there is much we can. Having dinner as a family, whether that includes a mother and father or a single parent is a step towards creating a covenant with children, and an opportunity to communicate directly with them. Accountability for actions rather than excuses for them, and modeling proper interactions with others is another way to bridge the gap. Being more involved in education, monitoring social media activity and taking brief walks are areas we can control. Explaining the importance of having morals and belief in God will do so much to help children’s mental health, and will guide them to a life filled with purpose. It won’t be easy, but it never was to begin with.
Until next time.
JPN