Opinion: Gen Z needs to prioritize politics over pop culture
The internet erupts over celebrity missteps like Chappell Roan’s “aggression” while ignoring systemic abuse from others like Jeffrey Epstein. Our columnist argues dismissiveness downplays real harm and distracts from justice. Kendall Thompson | Contributing Illustrator
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At a São Paulo hotel on March 21, Chappell Roan made headlines after allegedly causing soccer player Jorgingho’s 11-year-old daughter to cry. Whether true or not, the moment became a phenomenon, plastered everywhere from The New York Times to social media platforms.
The internet is always eager for any bit of celebrity gossip, blowing minor incidents into lasting controversies, especially when the missteps involve women. Yet, men like Kanye West have continued their careers largely unhindered, despite widely reported Nazi allegiance and abusive behavior. His recent album Bully even broke records, showing how his actions do not have consequences, opposing the standards female celebrities are held up to.
Misogynistic hate trains take precedence over holding truly problematic figures accountable, and it goes deeper than simple celebrity gossip. Generation Z seems more focused on pop culture than on politics or news, pushing more pressing matters aside in favor of fast-turnaround entertainment.
While some argue that Gen Z effectively uses mainstream culture to advocate, the reality is humor and posting memes online can’t fix everything. It hardly qualifies as acts of real protest.
Sometimes the jokes are taken too far, a seeming inability for seriousness and an insensitivity disabling us from holding proper conversations.
Recently, a TikTok account — Palm Beach Pete — has blown up, landing the gray-haired man a spot on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” This fame is solely attributed to the man’s eerie resemblance to Jeffrey Epstein.
Epstein, a known sex trafficking abuser who exploited young girls for decades, and who did reside in Palm Beach, was only fully exposed recently when the first batch of the Epstein files were released. With ties in powerful places and connections to our own government, it has been an uphill battle to get even this small victory. It’s disgusting and insensitive for any joke to be made out of an issue so pressing.
While Kimmel called out the fact that we still haven’t seen the entirety of the Epstein files, he went on to say that people like Palm Beach Pete are “impacted” by the case’s fallout.
It’s important to continue discussing the files, given that there is still so much to address, but any attempt to make light of the situation is inappropriate. Kimmel’s suggestion that the Florida man’s life has been meaningfully “impacted” by a case that caused real harm to others falls flat.
Comments left on Palm Beach Pete’s account include “Hey Pete,” with an image of someone winking and “Jeff living his best life again.” Palm Beach Pete himself even said, “This is a blessing that fell into my lap.”
There’s nothing to be grateful for when fame comes from resembling a dead sex trafficker.
Katie Crews | Digital Design Director
It’s extremely telling that the world can be so outraged when a pop singer like Roan is slightly rude to a child, but is fine with jokes about a child sex trafficker. This misalignment of priorities and lack of seriousness gets us nowhere.
We have no right to the trauma the victims of Epstein endured and continuing to poke fun at any aspect of the situation only enables the ongoing silence of our judicial system. Rather than passively consuming news, we should be provoked into action. Recent protests have seen a lower turnout from Gen Z than any other age group.
Our voices seem so loud online when we are regurgitating ideas and existing in an echo chamber. But, in the real world, change requires more proactive and serious action. There’s no room for pop culture signs at protests referencing “Heated Rivalry” — like “ICE reserved for gay hockey only” — or for an outpouring of hatred over an insignificant celebrity moment.
We need to direct our energy toward our government. The uncovering of Epstein took decades, and he wasn’t the only one involved in his sexual exploitation pyramid scheme. If concern for children in the Roan situation is genuine, that energy would be better spent advocating for those affected by real-world issues today.
It’s no coincidence that Epstein got away with abusing minors for so long, despite years of reports. From news outlets to law enforcement to former United States labor secretary Alexander Acosta, people were consistently intimidated or bought out by Epstein and his gaggle of billionaire friends.
As reported by Julie K. Brown in her book “Perversion of Justice,” the U.S.’ continued silence during such a wide-reaching ring of crime isn’t a coincidence, but rather a sign of corruption at every level of government.
It’s that kind of coverup that continues today when we treat these serious acts of democratic failure and judicial corruption as jokes. Our government is intrinsically wound into the world Epstein ran, and, if we don’t treat it seriously, more young girls will suffer.
Rather than focusing our energy on trivial pop culture moments, we must direct it toward issues we claim to care about. We can’t look away for even a moment. That’s the only way to move forward, because as of now, nothing has been resolved.
Dayna Roberts is a junior majoring in creative writing. She can be reached at dbrobert@syr.edu.
