AOC, Among Us, and a New Age of Political Outreach

As we delve further into a new generation of modernization and technology, I’ve noticed politicians attempting to find ways to better connect with their constituents. Whether it be through talk show appearances or relatable quirky tweets, politicians are trying to appear more down-to-earth and approachable in the era of social media domination.

Some of these attempts have seemed rather cringe-worthy as politicians try (and fail) to understand the internet concepts of memes and TikTok. However, one politician has found a new way to attempt to virtually connect with her constituents: gaming. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, generally referred to as AOC, has been streaming herself playing Among Us on the platform Twitch with popular gamers and fellow politicians. Needless to say, her gameplays have since gone viral.

Among Us is a game that has become extremely popular this year. Online gamers are constantly live-streaming themselves playing the game for hundreds of thousands of viewers. When AOC announced that she’d be playing the game with streamers and some special guests, the internet went wild. Thus far, AOC has streamed twice, with her first stream being one of the most popular streams on the platform. She seized on the opportunity to call upon young people to vote in the 2020 election. Since then, she’s played with experienced gamers (such as HasanAbi, JackSepticEye, Corpse Husband, and Pokimane) and a few friends (such as Representative Ilhan Omar and Canadation politician Jagmeet Singh).

Not only have AOC’s streams garnered several million viewers, but she’s also used a live-stream for fundraising efforts that went on to raise over $200,000 for housing and food insecurity related to the pandemic. As these funds were raised and the gaming ensued, AOC discussed a variety of topics that related to her experiences in the House of Representatives and the comparisons that can be made between the American and Canadian governments. In doing so, she was simultaneously fundraising and raising awareness for important issues that younger voters definitely need to know more about.

While some may judge and criticize AOC for this move into gaming, I honestly think it’s a great strategy for her to take. The idea of trying to maintain a sense of communication with Americans isn’t new. After all, President Franklin D. Roosevelt popularized the concept of fireside chats by discussing his policies and creating a dialogue with Americans via radio addresses in the 1930s. It’s clear that politicians throughout history have been trying to use technology to their advantage in order to speak with their constituents, and I believe that AOC is doing the same.

Moreover, AOC has found an extraordinarily popular platform to utilize and she is speaking to voters (especially younger voters) in a way that’s on their level rather than on an intimidating, confusing political level. She has actual experience with gaming, so her attempts at gameplay feel genuine and less cringey than what other politicians would probably be accomplishing. These live-streams humanized her, which is something that many prominent figures have yet to achieve. All in all, AOC is forging a place for her progressive voice in a realm of the internet that, as many have pointed out, is usually commanded by the presence of conservative personalities.

In a time where virtual connection is our greatest ally, AOC has found a way to create a digital line of communication with Americans that is welcomingly casual, yet incredibly informational. A congressional representative live-streaming herself playing one of the most popular games of the year is bound to go viral, so why not use that attention to raise awareness about politics and to garner donations for good causes? With all of this being said, I genuinely admire how AOC has committed herself to finding more ways to be a political force to be reckoned with, both in-person and within the digital sphere.

 

• Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
• among us
• gaming
• politics