There is an enduring truth that has become more important than ever to remind myself of here in the middle of the third decade of the 21st century: people in real life often don't bear much resemblance to people on the internet. This has been very apparent since the early days of social media. When I'm in any group of conservatives, we're having fun. Freaking oodles of it. When I'm on social media, too many conservatives seem to be intent on living down to the leftist stereotype of us as curmudgeonly buzzkills.
They're like vegans and CrossFitters or, worse yet, vegan CrossFitters: they're going to let you know what they are all about ad nauseam.
Of particular note is the response to pop culture and almost anything having to do with entertainment, and this is something I've written about for years. Many of the very online conservatives seem to think that there is some sort of rightwing street cred to be gained by being disdainful of all things pop culture.
As a lifelong conservative who has been in the entertainment industry for most of my adulthood, you can see why I might bristle at this. Well, I also bristle at it because it's a ridiculous notion.
Too many of the very online self-described conservatives think that they're getting William F. Buckley Jr. brownie points from Heaven if they never miss an opportunity to let everyone know that they don't like Taylor Swift. Worse yet are the keyboard warriors who beat their virtual chests about not knowing who this musician or that actor is. Ignorance is never a badge of honor.
Oh, if you're on the internet proudly proclaiming that you don't have a television or cable, you've really lost the thread.
Because it's a subjective experience, we all have things that we don't like in the world of entertainment. My list is quite lengthy, but only I know about it. For example, other than watching the occasional Golden Globes monologue after the fact, I can't remember the last time I watched an awards show. They're just not my thing. However, I don't spend all night on social media when one is on the air telling people that I'm not watching it. Trust me, that's what most of my very large conservative following on X does for every Oscars, Emmys, or Grammys broadcast.
Are they really ignoring it if they talk about it the whole time it's on?
By the way, it bears mentioning that conservatives' two favorite Republicans since Lincoln — Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump —both had/have roots in the entertainment industry. Those roots are why Reagan was and Trump is so brilliant at handling the press.
Again, the conservatives I know in real life are fun-loving people who don't make what they don't like an integral part of their personalities. The people who do that just make themselves seem like they wouldn't be any fun at parties.
If they ever got invited to any.
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