Absolutely Opportunistic Cringe
by Collin Wynter
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez made headlines recently by attending the $35,000 per ticket Met Gala event. Hosted by the long-time Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, the price was increased to make it more exclusive. Media and commentators called AOC to account for the apparent hypocrisy. How is it that she, a defender of workers rights, is attending such an event?
Defence was already outlined in her first instagram post, wherein she was wearing a white designer dress emblazoned with the slogan: Tax the Rich. The ticket was a gift. The dress was a loan. Political officials attend events like this all the time. Truisms and hypocrisy abound. She is now being investigated for an ethics breach.
At the event itself, there was a glaring absurdity.
The masks on the servants- and servants they were this night- provided a dystopian impression of the world that we currently exist in. Only the faces of the glamorous mattered for the cameras, while nameless, black cad attendants, served drinks and food. The inequality of net worth is now represented by who may be seen, and who must be unseen.
Exemplary as ever, Glenn Greenwald notes the ludicrous nature in the ever increasing number of these events: Newsom’s dirty laundry, Obama’s birthday bash, Pelosi’s luncheon, and comes to this conclusion:
Even with all of this deceit and manipulation, there is something uniquely disturbing — creepy even — about becoming accustomed to seeing political and cultural elites wallowing in luxury without masks, while those paid small wages to serve them in various ways are forced to keep cloth over their faces.
Congruent with the masking, is of course having the event at all. Either we are in pandemic or we are not. Either this is a deadly disease and we must do all we can to avoid its spread or it is not. Either we must fear for our lives, or we must take them back.
The issues of masking, lockdowns and two tiered society are worthy of evaluation and condemnation. But one other topic should be mentioned. And that is the grift of the socialists.
Just a short time ago, Bernie Sanders had to switch his rhetoric from condemning millionaires to billionaires, as his tax bracket etched ever upwards. No longer is owning three homes a capitalist endeavour. Everyone should own three homes. But four homes, of course, that is too much…..
Unless you are Patrisse Khan-Cullors, one of the Black Lives Matter founders. Then four homes is acceptable.
Both Sanders and Khan-Cullors prove that capitalism works to enrich ones life. No wonder AOC endeavours to reach the echelons of society where she, too, may have that opportunity. If only it could be done without so much cringe.