Generational Perspectives: Randy Huang

“kamala IS brat.” ~Charli xcx. As Vice President Kamala Harris took on the Democratic presidential bid for this election, Harris had to revamp Biden’s disastrous campaign into a better image. One breakthrough in her road to election is being favorable toward the younger generations. Especially as there are more Gen Z voters this election year, the difference between Harris and Biden is simply that he was not brat.
Charli xcx, a British pop singer, released her album titled “brat.” Harris rose to social media notoriety because of Charli’s endorsement by calling her brat in a tweet. You may ask what does brat mean? On TikTok, Charli describes brat as “just like that girl who is a little messy and likes to party and maybe says some dumb things sometimes, who feels herself, but then also maybe has a breakdown, but kind of parties through it.” It is not just a name, but a lifestyle inspired by rave and noughties culture. However, the term “brat” cannot be characterized by this definition; it is an aura one possesses. It is similar to gnarly, which describes something cool, but initially, it was to describe dangerous surf.
After this endorsement and multiple internet memes about coconut trees, her campaign has gained mass attention from social media. A speech made a year ago resurfaced as Harris said, “You think you just fell out of a coconut tree,” and later said, “You exist in the context of all in which you live and what came before you.” It may seem comical that nobody fell off a coconut tree, but she emphasized that what you are now is the product of the past. Everything from your parents, choices, and the environment put you to the point you are now. She stresses the importance of focusing on and supplying the needs of the younger generation. However, Gen Z interpreted it as a funny meme and shared it across social media, gaining even more attention.
Harris utilized her newfound and trending platform to appeal to her young voter viewership. Unlike Biden, Harris is “cool” and relatable toward Gen Z. Biden and Trump are older than colored TV, Alaska, and high fives, so no wonder they could relate to younger voters. I remember the transition from landline to wireless phone; Gen Z does not want to teach our President Grandpa new technology. In addition, I believe that younger voters appreciate Harris’s perseverance, even though there are only three months until the election. It set high expectations for Harris, notably as a Black, South Asian, and female candidate.
Her running mate, Tim Walz has also gained attention as being the “token hire.” During Harris’s VP selection, many on the internet joked about the “diverse” option. Harris could have chosen a VP from a battleground state like Josh Shapiro to Pennsylvania or Mark Kelly to Arizona, but someone from a state that had voted for the Democratic Party in 1976. However, I do not believe this is a mistake. Walz is charismatic to all generations as the jolly and ambitious governor. There is controversy in his military career, but he has done tremendous work in his political career.
This presidential election cycle has been affected by Gen Z and social media. I hope my generation will further participate in the election and hopefully continue to rally attention to their favorite coconut-tree-brat-loving politicians.