There has been an increase in rightist ideals as of late all around the globe. What are they? What are the influences? And why is it happening?
All across social media there has been a rise in traditionalist and conservative agenda. It goes from lifestyle influences promoting the âtrad wifeâ aesthetic to public figures being used as symbols of ideological identity. The increase in conservatism isnât just political, it’s cultural.
Most recently there was a controversy regarding Actress Sydney Sweeny after she was the face of a jean campaign for American clothing company âAmerican Eagleâ. During one of the ads there is a billboard stating âSydney Sweeny has great Genesâ. It was then painted over to say âJeansâ instead. This stirred up controversy regarding white nationalism and conservative agenda. Especially due to the fact Sydney is a blonde haired blue eyed American citizen. When asked if Sydney wanted to deny or agree with the assumptions she plainly stated she had nothing to say about it. It sparked so much attention that Donal Trump applauded her for it. A known extreme conservative and right wing man.This just shows how easily mixed culture and political ideology intertwine today.Â
We also see it more on our screens in regards to influencers such as Nara Smith and Hannah Neeleman âBallerinaFarmâ on Platforms such as tiktok. Both promote this conservative traditional âtrad-wifeâ idea. Their videos make it look extremely aesthetic and fulfilling to give up your own dreams to stay at home raising children, doing house chores and even making food for their husband from scratch.Their aesthetics consist of floral aprons and outfits, family dinners, small cottage lifestyle and traditional gender roles.
This has become appealing because it glamourises the âsimpleâ life. The aesthetic videos make the world seem so much more peaceful and gives people a sense of purpose by providing for their families. It’s a hideaway from the chaos of reality and today’s world especially in the current political climate.But if you look at it with a realistic lense you can see that it actually is glamorising restrictive gender roles, essentially telling women to give up their personal goals and dreams for the aesthetic of domesticised bliss in life.
Going back to the core of it ,cultural conservatives emphasise the importance of traditional family values, faith and community no matter what moral or social change is happening throughout the world.In recent times there essentially has been a global culture âwarâ where these values and aesthetic lifestyles hold just as much political meaning as ever.
Bringing it back to Ireland, Conservative campaigners such as Maria Steen represent this political ideology to a tee. She is a very big voice in Ireland for social conservatism. She is mostly known for being very vocal about opposing abortion, equal rights laws,and what she believes as the âerosion of family valuesâ. She is just one of many that prove that underneath the social media campaigns is a serious political debate about the meaning of identity, progress and overall freedom.
Her popularity in Ireland reflects the conservatism of the country similar to other countries. Itâs not disappearing, it’s actually making a comeback. A main reason for this is due to the fast increase of liberalisation and social reform. It is hidden behind all the aesthetics and trends on social media and offers a much more serious political debate about what freedom, identity and progress truly mean to us.
There is also an economic factor that ties into this.With the rising cause of inflation comes an increase in conservatism. In times of struggle such as the cost of living crisis and issues in the job market people often turn towards simplicity with both their finances and morals. It causes a rise in the minimalist aesthetic of living, self sufficiency and traditional and domestic roles.Â
For some people, conservatism is about taking your own control of life in an uncertain economy, such as keeping a garden and growing your own food, spending less on clothes, food and miscellaneous items and essentially returning back to basics.
In saying all that, the rise and trends towards conservatism is not just going backwards or simply just refusing modernity, it’s because people are searching for a way to find roots in an all together rootless world. There is so much uncertainty today that it seems so much simpler to just attempt to go back in time.
Whether the increase continues and changes the future or fades as just another online âtrendâ depends not only on politics but on how deeply our generation decides to believe in the âpowerâ of the traditional lifestyle.
https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/nara-smith-trad-wives-feminism