Protests, Potters and the Proletariat: Appealing to the masses through fiction

When one looks at politics, the military, economics, or most situations where high level thinking is needed to make a decisions, we like to think that those in charge are crunching numbers, reading policy and consulting sources. After all, the public wants an honest and thorough review and the ability to hold folks accountable. Unfortunately, the public side shown is less stats and sources and more Death Eaters and God Emperor allusions.

Relating everything in modern politics to Harry Potter, Star Wars or a Harlequin romance series probably isn’t the most effective way to shape policy or gain the trust of your audience. Sure, it’s relate able and “cool”, but it also seems gimmicky. Not to mention, it can alienate fans of Lord Of The Rings, Star Trek and Louis L’amour novels.

This can be seen in many of the recent protest movements after the 2016 election. Ironically enough, there is plenty of data and information to support the positions of those who oppose the current administration. Instead of throwing out stats, infographics and facts, it seems like plenty of folks are content with this:

Appealing optics, catchy lines… but under the surface there isn’t much there unless you already hate Trump.

These types of protests and the optics appeal to folks who already agree with the protesters. It also attracts young people by drawing to relate able and familiar topics. Most young people though, are smart enough to think beyond cute hats and signs, so they may be impassioned for a little while, but ultimately end up looking elsewhere.

A perfect example of this would be Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. She didn’t need a Hermoine reference, or a Princess Leia hairstyle. She simply presented her position, stated the sources and facts that back up her view, and took to the public with a high level of energy and passion. It worked too. Even if you disagree vehemently with her positions, it’s impossible to deny her success.

Sure, she might be a little new to the national spotlight, but with a little of experience under her belt, she will be much more effective than people referencing Science Fiction and Fantasy pop culture tropes. At the end of the day, there has to be some substance to a movement outside of feelings.