2024 is the Election year. During this trip around the sun, about half of the world’s population got to exercise the right to vote, and we once again were presented a memento that in politics how you communicate is as important as what you communicate.
The tone of the political discourse, and at the same time the channels that host it, have naturally evolved with society over the years, and despite many still consider social media as a second-tier or even inappropriate arena for public debate, its role is becoming increasingly pivotal. Nevertheless, as the etymology suggests, politics is woven by people, and as the generational shift occurs, a societal one follows.
For instance, 40 million Gen Z young adults were eligible to vote in the US elections on November 5th, representing a substantial share of the electorate. Without falling into the cliché, it’s safe to say that the relationship between institutions and the youth is a high-stakes issue that has often been overlooked, across time and space. In recent years, it appears that there is a veil of incommunicability between the most mature generations and the least experienced, which can take the form of a level of unconcern for the needs of the youngest on behalf of the decision-makers, which drives their detachment from the Res Publica.
Nevertheless, we can anticipate that the zeitgeist might be changing. Focusing on the star-and-striped example, the main characters who were aspiring to become the nation’s 60th president were also perfect material for satire and pop culture reference, and their “meme” potential was not left unexpressed. First, former president Donald Trump, with his histrionic personality, political incorrectness, excessive grimaces, and oftentimes borderline fake statements, is a firm believer that “all publicity is good publicity”. The Republican candidate, since the debut of his political career, has always been an extremely polarizing protagonist of social media and pop culture, that has produced a whole genre of Trump-themed memes. His response approach to this type of (often negative) feedback, might seem naïve but is indeed strategic: if his critics find fault within some declarations, he reaffirms them because he knows they are the reasons why his supporters stand by him. One of the most interesting examples is how the internet reacted to the assassination attempt on Trump in July 2024: it became the template for many “me when” jokes, sparked conspiracy theories, and was leveraged by the victim to promote a heroic image of himself.
Moving on to the blue side, we are lucky enough to talk about two candidates. Let’s begin with the incumbent president, whose communication has been radically different, i.e. deeply moderate. In addition to political divergences, a huge root for perplexities towards Joe Biden was linked to his old age and decline of lucidity and cognitive sharpness. This rightful concern was addressed, in a rather tactless way, after the presidential debate in June, when his disorientation was in the spotlight for a profusion of satire. This incident was not the first of its kind, but it is crucial since it led to the passing of the baton to the final dem candidate Kamala Harris.
Now that’s where things got fascinating. Not to bore you with the data, but it can be rather insightful. One week after Biden’s resignation, there were 100,000 new registrations, an unprecedented result that is twice the usual level for that phase of the presidential cycle. Harris’s popularity increased by 20% after her presidential bid, and it was not by chance. If you weren’t living in the woods during the past summer, you know about Brat: Kamala was immediately crowned by the online crowd as the “Femininomenon”, the icon and guide that many Gen Z voters were waiting for. She was able to gracefully ride this wave and to uptake the role that she was involuntarily assigned. Also, she sent a clear message by using TikTok as a communication tool integrated into her campaign, while her opponent had tried to ban the Chinese platform from the states. This was a smart move indeed because it showed closeness to younger generations and their voice and concern towards their issues and needs.
This presidential campaign has unquestionably been a thrilling ride: at the end of the day, nobody queues for a flat rollercoaster. However, a series of questions remain: does skilled communication imply qualitative political work? Moreover, is it fundamental to speak one’s language to gain their trust?
One thing is for certain, political memes have our plebiscite.
Hello stranger! My identikit: 22, ENFJ, Half Milanese half Sardinian, student of Economics and Social Sciences. Here to maintain my creativity in shape while I try to make sense of linear regressions. To keep my sanity while trying to survive Bocconi’s most difficult Master’s Degree (sorry not sorry Finance), I cook, indulge in Mubi films, and overall try to cultivate my edgy intellectual side.
You can find me studying at Leoni First floor, running at Parco Sempione, eating a cornetto alla crema, or chatting with strangers around Milan.
I like writing about the social phenomena I witness both through first-hand experience and the media and always try to develop a personal view of the Zeitgeist. But to be fair, I’m drawn to anything that gives me a free ticket for an escape across time and space.
