In today’s world of fleeting internet fame and performative activism, we see yet another example of this phenomenon with a new viral TikTok video. The latest online sensation comes from a middle-aged woman who decided to paint her face and record herself crying in protest against ICE. She adorned her face with some sort of hieroglyphic-like symbol and turned on her camera to offer her sobbingly emotive display to the world. It’s a familiar scene in the lands of TikTok, where dramatic gestures are often mistaken for genuine activism.
One can only imagine the production that goes into creating a video like this. Picture the scene—this woman presumably sits at her kitchen table, inspired by her emotions about an issue, and concocts a plan to capture attention online. She digs into her crafting supplies, neglected family duties momentarily, and prepares to turn her face into a canvas on which to paint her woes. In this strange ritual, ignored household chores and her child’s lunch get postponed for what she considers the noble task of making a statement via digital tear-filled content.
It’s amusing, in a way, to think of these performances as the creation of a lost tribe, desperately seeking approval from the digital realm. These performances, often devoid of any substantive contribution to societal discourse, tragically end up as hollow cries for attention. And all for what? For likes, shares, and maybe a fleeting moment in the spotlight. It’s not a professional endeavor; there’s no paycheck at the end of the month. These performers embark on the arduous task of earning internet fame just for the thrill of knowing they’re being watched—based on nothing but performative passion.
In an even grander stage, we have Amanda Gorman, the darling of the modern poetry scene. Celebrated far and wide, she is yet another figure who seems to be perched upon a pedestal not due to poetic prowess, but perhaps because she embodies the right identity markers. Her recent tribute is decorative, full of words that sound poetic to the untrained ear but lack any substantive depth. Gorman is celebrated not just for her poetry, but for what she represents in today’s culture-driven narratives—a symbol, a figurehead, more than a wordsmith.
Perhaps, these are just signs of the times where substance takes a backseat to appearances and identity. In elevating these displays—whether it’s a TikTok cry for relevance or a poem celebrated beyond its merit—we see a clear path laid out by progressivism, highlighting style over substance. It is through such spectacles that the broader cultural conversation seems to be shaped—one devoid of critical thought, preferring colorful distractions over meaningful dialogue. The fervor with which such spectacles are consumed might be considered the true performance—one that beckons us to question the foundation upon which we’ve built our modern discourse.
