When it comes to American politics, we can neatly divide the elected characters up into two categories: The doers and the divas.
Some of our public servants actually do serve us, as the founding fathers intended, while others spend their time, (and our taxpayer dollars), on perfecting the craft of political theater. And, in the golden age of social media so far, this sort of hyperbolic horror show has been turbocharged to the point where the nuance has been completely sucked out of the room.
And so, in times like this, we tend to see our elected officials simply bludgeoning us over the head with their views…even if it means somehow ignoring the naked irony of the situation.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., wore a white dress with the slogan “tax the rich” at the lavish Met Gala in New York, where tickets go for at least $30,000 each.
The wardrobe choice drew a mixed response on social media, with some praising Ocasio-Cortez’s message and others questioning whether it conflicted with the star-studded nature of the event.
AOC’s explanation didn’t bring much humility to the gaudy gown.
During an interview on the red carpet, Ocasio-Cortez said she and the dress’s designer, Aurora James, discussed “what it means to be working-class women of color at the Met.”
“And we said, we can’t just play along, but we need to break the fourth wall and challenge some of the institutions, and while the Met is known for its spectacle, we should have a conversation about it,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
The dress itself was none too impressive.
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wearing a "Tax the Rich" dress at the #MetGala2021 #MetGala pic.twitter.com/FyFK1h90zK
— ً (@chernobyldenier) September 13, 2021
This isn’t the first time that AOC has been criticized for her wardrobe choices.
The New York Congresswoman once posed in front of her working class neighborhood stoop in a $3,500 pantsuit, in what appeared to have been an appeal to constituents from more humble backgrounds.
