Lately it feels like whichever newspaper I read, social media platform I look at or comment section I open, there’s something on about politics. And don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying it’s a bad thing. More so, I would say that this shows how deeply political engagement is implemented in our generation and our interests. One could argue that this is due to the current state of the world (which, yikes, let’s be honest) and how us young people experience it in times of social media. And I would know, as I consider myself part of the young people experiencing the current state of the world through social media.
Of course, this lively discourse is something that I might witness due to the online bubble I’m in, or my personal interest in our planets somewhat-ish wellbeing. But one thing that is definitely noticeable, no matter the bubble you’re in, is the uprising of both subtle and in-your-face political opinions. How couldn’t you, in times of a Cheeto with a bad hair transplant ruling Americas oyster, the world’s most perfect woman making literally anything from scratch in a couture dress or Austrian politicians selling their country out on their trip to Ibiza. And while all of these seem really funny (in a way), when you look a little closer, they vividly represent how modern politics work. They feel more like a lifestyle, a social media statement, a content source, a meme, maybe even a clothing style. The way you display yourself is a choice. A choice, rooted in politics. Because let’s be real, you can almost always tell the political orientation of someone – just by looking at them.
And that sparks an important question: What do politics look like?
Because last time I checked, it’s about where you make your cross at vote-o-clock, not whether you buy the black or the white shirt at H&M. Right?
And it’s not like we don’t hear it all the time. “Don’t make this political”, “This is too political”, “Their death shouldn’t be politicised,” especially when someone from a marginalised group is violently killed. Yet such statements are impossible, because everything is political. It starts with the way you consume your news, and it ends, you guessed it, with whether you buy the black or the white shirt at H&M. Politics is all around us. Activist and journalist Brianna O’Reilly even defines it as a tool to understand and address problems, measure right and wrong, what we deem to be moral or immoral and how we think of everyday challenges and happenings both individually and collectively.
Going back to my question – What do politics look like? – I’m certain you can think of a few stereotypes, or giveaways rather, of different political directions. And I’m not just talking about how people dress or the age that they are. It’s also about different communication tactics, colours, trends or social medias certain groups choose to use. Or that the clothing stores you go to fund different political parties one way or another, or that the kind of clothes you buy makes you part of a visually identifiable group or that the lifestyle choices you make influence the political situations in other countries. That Avocado you bought had to come from somewhere, right? And the shirt you got had to be made somewhere – probably not Austria… right? The price of the shirt you’re willing to pay, depends on the social-political situation somewhere else. Did it feel political when the choice was made to follow these stereotypes? Probably not. It doesn’t make them any less political though!
In short: There’s a certain design to politics, not just on the outside. Let’s take Donald Trump for example. He is using a certain colour (red), with a certain font, using certain words in his talks and only posting on certain social medias using certain hashtags. Him and his political party are branded in a very specific way, so that the people sharing his ideals can follow this branding and form a visual collective. This visual collective keeps the loop going, by consuming not just the brand on the outside, but also everything that comes with it. If you think about it, where’s the difference between a Trump Supporter and an Adidas fan? Other than their choice of brand to follow and the personal ideals they have, of course. Designing politics “the right way” is every inch as important as actually following up on these political beliefs.
This means, that graphic design as a tool of the visual language of protest is so powerful that it creates the ability to promote and pass on change-messages and allows it to work its way into our everyday lives creating a mass movement that can shake up political regimes (Yinks0067, n.d.). Not just from the outside, but the inside as well. At the end of the day, everything is political.
And that’s a good thing.
Sources:
• O’Reilly, B. (n.d.). Like it or not, everything is political. The Black Project.
• Yinks0067. (n.d.). The visual language of protest: How graphic design can fuel protest and change government. Medium.
