Politicians were once memorialized by their powerful quotes and speeches. Now, they are remembered for their misguided attempts to engage in internet culture and the memes these blunders inspire. By building their campaign on jokes, the politician has become the joke. 

“You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?” is Vice President Kamala Harris’ most recognizable line, more so than any discussing her campaign. Memes of Harris gain more traction than her policies or programs. Is this a politician we can take seriously?

Former president, now President-elect Donald Trump’s controversial policies are often a topic of conversation, yet, he too sees the most virality from his unserious moments. From cosplaying as a McDonald’s employee to dancing at his rally, Trump has consistently inspired hundreds of internet memes.

Many young voters have a hard time taking politics seriously, especially now. In part, because our political climate is a mess, but also because politicians have little to no decorum. Trump often makes dangerous false claims, while Harris campaigns through edits and absurd audios on her TikTok account. 

Understanding your audience and expanding campaign channels are important; however, integrity is equally important. Efforts to appear relatable — like engaging in internet jokes and partnering with influencers — are nice, in theory, but they have started to go too far. We are forgetting what a politician is designed to be, at their core: a representative. 

Politicians were always meant to represent ideals, so the public could vote for whoever best aligned with their personal values. Now, though, people tend to vote based on appearances — supporting the candidate because of the candidate themselves, not their policies. 

While this may sound harmless, a dangerous phenomenon has taken shape. People blindly trust whatever their favorite politician tells them, failing to reflect on these statements and their disastrous consequences. 

Worse, people hold their favorite politicians in such high regard, that their support has become a facet of their identity. Now, when someone criticizes the politician, the supporter also feels criticized. All of this has worked together to create the deeply divided political environment we find ourselves in today. 

Politics should be about policies, not politicians. Instead of turning to outside sources, like other people or political parties, for guidance on who to support, we should be listening to our personal values. This way, as was originally hoped, politicians can serve as true vessels for what the people want, rather than simply doing what they want. 

The reason politicians are falling short with Gen Z is that our generation is automatically cynical of everything. Where some may blindly follow a politician, young people turn away, blindly assuming everything that politician says is nonsense.

As the generation that will have to deal with multiple existential crises, Gen Z wants to see something done about the state of our country. They take policy seriously and want to see their government make progress. Instead, they have watched greedy politicians turn a once-proud democracy into an embarrassment.  

Gen Z already struggles to take politicians seriously. Time and time again, they fail to follow through on their promises, leaving the people to fend for themselves. Politicians can appear as relatable as they want, but until they hold true to their policies, young people will continue to ridicule them.