"Politics will eventually be replaced by imagery. The politician will be only too happy to abdicate in favour of his image, because the image will be much more powerful than he could ever be." -Marshall McLuhan
I read this, and I wonder if Marshall Mcluhan was some kind of psychic that could see into the future. I mean, there is no other way that he could've known the current situation in the 21st century. He was so spot on, that it's actually kind of scary.
Let's look at what we have going on in the political world right now, here in 2016.
Let's look at what we have going on in the political world right now, here in 2016.
The biggest campaigning strategy in the 2016 American election seems to be through social media. Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Vine, tumblr (shoutout to all those Bernie supporters out there), and even YouTube. There isn't a social media platform out there that isn't being used in the political campaign.
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They say "a picture speaks a thousand words" and these words could be good, or bad.
Politicians aren't using these social media platforms for no reason. They have a strategy, and a very good one.
The fact is that, the fastest way for them to get their message out and to people of all different races, ages, and genders is through images via social media.
Many politicians use images to appeal to the masses, and create a strong voice that cannot be achieved merely through words. These pictures make them seem more than they are.
They are able to leave out what they want, and only show what they need.
Now, although imagery can be good for the politician/presidential candiate, it can also break them. The masses - everyday regular people - can create images that can really ruin a politician and bring them down.
Just like the politicians, they are able to leave out what they want, and only show what they need.
The newly invented "memes" and "gifs" have a way of traveling fast, and its the perfect way of getting the message across without having to read more than a few words. (and I have to mention that they are also extremely entertaining)
A single 'meme' could literally ruin a candidate's image.
via GIPHY
The politicians have no choice.
They have no choice but to let images represent them.Images now have a way of travelling fast. They are accessible to over billions of people, all over the world. It can communicate with anyone, whether they know a single word of english or not. That is the power that imagery has.
Even though it may ruin them, they have no choice. Does it do more harm, or more good? I guess that's all based on perspective. But either way, in this new political era of advanced technology and social media, the politicians have no choice but to use imagery to represent them.
What Marshall McLuhan said was right. These images WILL be more powerful than any politician could ever be and this is the fact whether they like it or not.
I agree with the thesis that you make stand out so clearly via a bold, italicized single sentence: politicians truly don't have a choice. We can judge Clinton and Trump all we like, but we the voting, viewing, sharing, liking public gave imagery the power that it now has (over us). An excellent discussion, Annie.
ReplyDeleteIt's a little scary to think about-- the fact that things people say about politicians become truer than the person themselves. It's also something that could be applied to our own lives; sometimes the things people say about us are what we are known for, as opposed to who we really are... especially in an age where media spreads so fast, it's so important to be careful about what one says and does.
ReplyDelete