Wake up, babe. It’s 2016 and time to stop "malding" after the election watch party.
I woke from a dream where I was an aerial projection, my head nodding to “Waltz Across Texas” by Ernest Tubb as I drifted above an Earth both overbearing and effete, mourning the absence of my feet. I’m not sure if this vision was divinely inspired or if it stemmed from my frustration with the tragic bond between Texas and the Earth — both suffering from the ripple effects of poorly constructed social policies that are only bound to worsen.
An 18-year-old woman died from sepsis after several Texan healthcare clinics denied her care following a miscarriage. This is the reality of a draconian, near-total abortion ban in Texas — a grotesque dystopia where healthcare providers, fearing legal repercussions, may hesitate to intervene as they could be punished by law depending on the state's regulations.
Penn professor and Executive Director of the Sierra Club, a grassroots organization fighting for environmental justice, Ben Jealous, stated: “Donald Trump was a disaster for climate progress during his first term, and everything he’s said and done since suggests he’s eager to do even more damage this time."
As an international student, witnessing the rise of electoral bonds and right-wing populism in my home country that re-elected Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi made it clear how a nation can be drawn to “otherism” and fear, fueling division in society.
Much like Emperor Nero watching Rome burn, a recalcitrant president-elect now stands at the center of political rallies that are the embodiment of exaggeration — filled seats, bombastic speeches, and even moments where he reads from a Kanye “we’re so back” bop verbatim. This president-elect, with a storyline reminiscent of John Wayne, exudes machismo and a strong conservative populist appeal. He has survived sexual assault allegations and dodged assassination attempts, yet his deeply flawed character seems to leave people unfazed. In essence, America may have voted in her toxic ex — someone who appears impervious, unprosecutable, and capable of capriciously commanding the United States Department of Justice.
After talking to my fellow queer friends, people of color, Black students, and women on campus who are rightfully petrified by the consequences of what his term — and the horrors of Project 2025 — hold for them, it doesn’t make sense why one would maliciously vote against their peers' interests, let alone out of a general concern for the rapidly deteriorating climate.
Knowing Penn voted overwhelmingly Democratic, it is irreverent that a certain sect of students at Penn is not just blithely but perversely and actively enabling this fellow Penn alumnus and president-elect because of his postmodern, ironical caricature. What do I mean by this?
It’s clear that many young adults, voting for the first time, have embraced former President and 1968 Wharton graduate Donald Trump as a token of irony. He has become a self-referential joke whose image has been reduced to a meta-ironic spectacle — a court jester whose constant snide remarks have won over those who find fulfillment in the shock value of his words. This phenomenon is perhaps best illustrated by his use of a Cuban band singing “Vote for Trump” as a palliative gesture following the unapologetically racist and horrifying rally at Madison Square Garden — an event completely devoid of accountability.
This meme-ification of Trump has garnered him a sprawling base of angsty teenagers who vicariously live through his recklessness, using it as an escape from their own monotonous lives and precarious self-esteem. In doing so, they distance themselves from the terrifying severity of his actions. The danger here is that this ironic detachment blinds people to the real consequences of his policies — policies that are already proving to be extremely harmful for some populations and will continue harm others. The constant barrage of misinformation has lulled many into apathy, making it easier to overlook the immediate and long-term damage being done.
While Trump may be treated as a meme, we cannot let that distract us from the fact that his presidency carries serious, tangible repercussions for marginalized communities.
MALAIKAH NIYAZI is a graduate student in the School of Social Policy and Practice studying social policy from Mumbai, India. Her email is malaikah@upenn.edu.
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