The rise of right-wing conservatives in popular culture is nothing new. However, the recent surge of Gen-Z Republican youth embracing conservative aesthetics and ideologies marks a concerning shift towards a post-woke America. Young men wearing 'Reagan-Bush '84' T-shirts or sporting hairstyles reminiscent of 80s icons are not just making fashion statements; they're signaling their allegiance to an ideology that views culture as a tool for domination.
This sentiment is echoed in Donald Trump's attacks on the Smithsonian museum, which he seeks to purge of "improper ideology," and his threatened imposition of 100% tariffs on non-US-made films. The idea is not only disingenuous but also reflects a deep-seated frustration among right-wing zealots that liberal-left orthodoxy still dominates the arts.
The notion of a conservative seizure of culture has been touted by some as a victory, with critics like Helen Lewis and Kevin Maher proclaiming "woke is dead." However, this assertion rings hollow when confronted with the reality on the ground. The recent box-office performance of Sydney Sweeney's film Christy, in which she portrays the boxer Christy Martin, stands as a dismal testament to the struggles faced by conservative-leaning films.
Sweeney's own trajectory serves as a microcosm of the challenges right-wing conservatives face in disrupting Hollywood and the arts. While buying a political T-shirt may be an easy commitment, producing a quality film that resonates with audiences is a far more difficult feat.
The disconnect between Sweeney's on-screen persona and her off-screen politics raises questions about the sincerity of right-wing conservatives in their quest for cultural domination. Rather than courting controversy, they should focus on creating art that expands our worlds, not makes them smaller.
In reality, great art has always been about embracing diversity and challenging social norms, rather than seeking to restrict them. As Kelsey Grammer, an open Trump supporter, has demonstrated through his decades-long commitment to diversity in his work, including executive-producing the sitcom Girlfriends about four Black women in Los Angeles.
The emergence of films like Sinners, an African-American horror film scored with southern Black music, and One Battle After Another, about an ex-revolutionary and his mixed-race daughter fighting against explicitly racist US state authorities, underscores the growing recognition of woke values in the industry. These films have garnered critical acclaim and box office success, while Sweeney's endeavors remain stuck in neutral.
Ultimately, people will queue up for what they want to watch and listen to. When most people ask for culture recommendations, they don't ask "Is it diverse?" or "Is it conservative?", they ask, "Is it any good?" Perhaps Sydney Sweeney should focus on creating films that are worth watching rather than relying on her physical appearance to garner attention.
The unwokening of Hollywood may be a welcome respite from the cancel culture era, but it's essential to distinguish between sincerity and spectacle. Right-wing conservatives must acknowledge their own biases and limitations if they hope to make a meaningful impact on popular culture. Until then, Sweeney will continue to face an uphill battle in convincing audiences that her films are worth watching beyond her physical appearance.
This sentiment is echoed in Donald Trump's attacks on the Smithsonian museum, which he seeks to purge of "improper ideology," and his threatened imposition of 100% tariffs on non-US-made films. The idea is not only disingenuous but also reflects a deep-seated frustration among right-wing zealots that liberal-left orthodoxy still dominates the arts.
The notion of a conservative seizure of culture has been touted by some as a victory, with critics like Helen Lewis and Kevin Maher proclaiming "woke is dead." However, this assertion rings hollow when confronted with the reality on the ground. The recent box-office performance of Sydney Sweeney's film Christy, in which she portrays the boxer Christy Martin, stands as a dismal testament to the struggles faced by conservative-leaning films.
Sweeney's own trajectory serves as a microcosm of the challenges right-wing conservatives face in disrupting Hollywood and the arts. While buying a political T-shirt may be an easy commitment, producing a quality film that resonates with audiences is a far more difficult feat.
The disconnect between Sweeney's on-screen persona and her off-screen politics raises questions about the sincerity of right-wing conservatives in their quest for cultural domination. Rather than courting controversy, they should focus on creating art that expands our worlds, not makes them smaller.
In reality, great art has always been about embracing diversity and challenging social norms, rather than seeking to restrict them. As Kelsey Grammer, an open Trump supporter, has demonstrated through his decades-long commitment to diversity in his work, including executive-producing the sitcom Girlfriends about four Black women in Los Angeles.
The emergence of films like Sinners, an African-American horror film scored with southern Black music, and One Battle After Another, about an ex-revolutionary and his mixed-race daughter fighting against explicitly racist US state authorities, underscores the growing recognition of woke values in the industry. These films have garnered critical acclaim and box office success, while Sweeney's endeavors remain stuck in neutral.
Ultimately, people will queue up for what they want to watch and listen to. When most people ask for culture recommendations, they don't ask "Is it diverse?" or "Is it conservative?", they ask, "Is it any good?" Perhaps Sydney Sweeney should focus on creating films that are worth watching rather than relying on her physical appearance to garner attention.
The unwokening of Hollywood may be a welcome respite from the cancel culture era, but it's essential to distinguish between sincerity and spectacle. Right-wing conservatives must acknowledge their own biases and limitations if they hope to make a meaningful impact on popular culture. Until then, Sweeney will continue to face an uphill battle in convincing audiences that her films are worth watching beyond her physical appearance.
with Sydney Sweeney's films at the bottom - not getting much traction 
. Meanwhile, films like Sinners and One Battle After Another are on top, getting praise 
. It's like the industry is saying "Hey, diversity and representation matter" 
.
, they're just trying to restrict others' views 
. Great art has always been about challenging social norms, not restricting them 
. Like Kelsey Grammer's work on Girlfriends 
- he's shown that diversity and representation can be done with sincerity and quality.
. Now, right-wing conservatives are trying to make art that appeals to their own crowd 
. But at the end of the day, people care about "Is it any good?" 
.
. And right-wing conservatives should acknowledge their own biases and limitations if they want to make a meaningful impact 
. Otherwise, the pyramid stays stuck in neutral 
.
- people think buying some merch or having a certain hairstyle makes them part of the "conservative crowd" 
like sinners and one battle after another are giving me LIFE 
can't wait to see what other hidden gems come out of this new wave
. They're using fashion as a way to signal their allegiance, but what they need to do is create art that resonates with people on a deeper level 
. We've seen films like Sinners and One Battle After Another doing just that, and it's about time we saw more diverse storytelling in Hollywood 
. It's not about being "woke" or not; it's about making movies that matter to people beyond their physical appearance 
. It feels like these new conservative films just wanna be all about nostalgia and conservative aesthetics instead of creating something actually meaningful. I mean, what's the point of making a film if it's just gonna reinforce some outdated ideology? And can't we have a little more diversity in our movies too? 
... but instead of expanding its influence, it's pulling itself inward 
. The recent surge of conservative youth embracing conservative aesthetics and ideologies is like adding too much glue to a diagram – it starts to hold everything together in a way that's not healthy 
.
. It's like buying a 'Reagan-Bush '84' T-shirt without actually understanding the ideologies behind it 
.
. Sweeney's struggles to make her mark only highlight the disconnect between her on-screen persona and off-screen politics 
.
. Until then, they'll be stuck in a cycle of trying to control what others think and feel 
. It's time for them to focus on creating art that expands our worlds, not makes them smaller 
.
... meanwhile we got films like sinners that's actually pushing boundaries and challenging social norms in a good way 
I gotta disagree with this whole "woke is dead" thing... It's like people think just 'cause they're rocking some Reagan-Bush '84 gear, they're automatically part of the "good guys". Newsflash: being cool doesn't mean you're not still woke 
. And btw, who says conservative art can't be made that resonates with people? I mean, look at Kelsey Grammer's work - he's been all about representation and diversity for ages 
. Rather than trying to convince audiences through symbolism, perhaps right-wing conservatives should focus on creating art that genuinely challenges social norms or expands our worlds 
. Newsflash: buying a T-shirt isn't art, it's just fashion! And let's be real, if they really wanted to make an impact, they'd focus on creating films that showcase diverse perspectives and experiences – like those amazing African-American horror movies I saw recently 
. The fact that people are still flocking to watch Sydney Sweeney's films is proof that her physical appearance isn't enough to carry a movie 
instead of embracing the messy beauty of our world.
. Newsflash: people are smarter than that. We want art that makes us feel something, not just something that reinforces their own biases 
It just doesn't add up. Maybe Sydney Sweeney should focus on creating some actual good art instead of relying on her physical appearance to get attention 
.
. So, Sweeney should focus on making films that are worth watching beyond her physical appearance 
.
. Maybe instead of courting controversy, right-wing conservatives should focus on creating art that resonates with people on a deeper level 
.
!
. And let's be real, if someone's trying too hard to fit in with a certain crowd, they're already off on the wrong foot 
. If Sydney Sweeney wants to make a comeback, she should focus on creating content that resonates with people on a deeper level, not just because of her physical appearance 
.
.