Gen Z and Their Political Views
It appears that many in Gen Z view politics as somewhat of a joke.
In a recent interview, social media personality Clavicular revealed that, although he supports Trump, he would choose Gavin Newsom over J.D. Vance in a hypothetical presidential race, citing some unexpected reasons.
“J.D. Vance is subhuman and Gavin Newsom is a jerk,” the 20-year-old stated during his appearance on the show. The word “mogging,” which he casually used, refers to looking better than others.
Braden Peters, known as Clavicular, gained recognition through his advocacy of “Look Max Thing.” This internet trend emphasizes extreme measures—including diets, tongue exercises, and even cosmetic surgery—to achieve an ideal facial structure.
According to Clavicular, he thinks Vance is “fat,” while Newsom is, in his view, “a 6-foot-3 Chad.”
In a somewhat awkward exchange, when Mr. Knowles pressed him for clarification, Peters criticized Vance for his “very short width-to-height ratio” and described him as being “obese” with a “sunken profile.”
Peters insisted he would support Newsom “100 times,” adding, “Having a fat president, especially someone that young… it’s really embarrassing. How can you lead the country when you’re fat?”
While choosing a presidential candidate is a significant aspect of citizenship, many digital natives who have grown up immersed in memes and irony seem to treat politics as entertaining rather than serious.
Controversial podcaster Nick Fuentes responded to Peters’ comments, stating, “J.D. Vance = fat subhuman. Newsom bullies him to death. I vote for him just because he’s handsome.”
Another streamer, who previously shifted from left to right, described Newsom as “a total Chadian” and went so far as to use a racial slur regarding Vance’s wife.
In contrast, Newsom seems to be embracing the attention. He recently shared a vintage photo of himself with a pipe and a basketball, captioning it, “Happy New Year to all my patriots,” almost as though he could be winking sarcastically.
The challenge remains: it’s often unclear how serious these far-right influencers are being—an unsettling thought when an entire generation looks to them for guidance on political matters.
This ongoing irony seems to stretch into governmental actions as well. Just recently, the Department of Homeland Security’s official X-Page posted memes about the serious topics of deportation and illegal immigration.
This cavalier attitude appears to cross party lines. George Santos, a former congressman who was recently pardoned for wire fraud, noted he has garnered a fanbase among left-leaning Gen Z women, despite his conservative background.
He mused, “I’m more attracted to Democratic youth than conservative youth. Perhaps my being gay makes me more approachable… I guess despite being labeled a liar, I brought some excitement to Congress, didn’t I?”
It seems these young women might overlook Santos’ conservative stances. Instead, they are drawn to his humorous and quirky personality—something that feels like a character straight out of a reality show.
For Gen Z, politics has morphed into a form of entertainment. Humor often supersedes policy, and appearances seem to matter more than qualifications for some.
This generation is set to inherit the longest life expectancy, and thus has the most to gain or lose based on the nation’s trajectory. They ought to be highly invested in our political future.
It’s about time to move past the memes and take things a bit more seriously.
