BREAKING: AOC wears a "Tax The Rich" dress at the Met Gala, where a ticket costs $30,000 to attend.

[DaleCooper]

AOC says she (and other NYC elected officials) were invited.

Anyway, obviously the post was deleted in this thread but it's pretty obvious what she was doing. The irony is the point, and clearly lost on the pearl-clutchers in this thread.

I find it annoying because she wants to have it both ways. She wants to rub elbows with the rich and famous (she is one of them now, after all) but also judge them as though she's still a struggling bartender. Socialists in this country are extremely, extremely judgmental of everyone that offends their sensibilities of what is and isn't fair in this economy, but they seem to universally have no problem living it up to the fullest themselves. I don't care if rich people enjoy an expensive night out to the gala, but I'd rather they not pretend to be men and women of the people while they do it.

And please, no one give me that god-awful "you participate in society" comic thing. It's so out of touch. Anyone who thinks that going to a $30,000 night of entertainment is merely "participating in society" is about as deluded about what the average American experience is like as Donald Trump is.

[DaleCooper]

AOC says she (and other NYC elected officials) were invited.

Anyway, obviously the post was deleted in this thread but it's pretty obvious what she was doing. The irony is the point, and clearly lost on the pearl-clutchers in this thread.

I find it annoying because she wants to have it both ways. She wants to rub elbows with the rich and famous (she is one of them now, after all) but also judge them as though she's still a struggling bartender. Socialists in this country are extremely, extremely judgmental of everyone that offends their sensibilities of what is and isn't fair in this economy, but they seem to universally have no problem living it up to the fullest themselves. I don't care if rich people enjoy an expensive night out to the gala, but I'd rather they not pretend to be men and women of the people while they do it.

And please, no one give me that god-awful "you participate in society" comic thing. It's so out of touch. Anyone who thinks that going to a $30,000 night of entertainment is merely "participating in society" is about as deluded about what the average American experience is like as Donald Trump is.

It’s definitely something to make you think but where do people go if they don’t like the system and have better ideas? Maybe we should just wait for the system to weaken? I don’t want socialism (I think neoliberalism is dumb too) but I want a system where all ideas to help the most people life the best life are considered, not just those that only directly benefit those that can afford to go to this party. Not sure if we try to work with the rich and powerful and hope enough of them are able to put their ideals ahead of their excesses or wait until the system weakens to the point they can’t suppress ideas at odds with it.

Perhaps she could host a modest event with community leaders in her district to discuss issues facing her constituents? Again, if she just wants to hang out at the Gala, then I wouldn't be all that annoyed, but she's the one who turned it into the political statement. If you want to vilify the "elites" or the 1%, then don't live like them. 

[DaleCooper]

There's this interesting Greenwald article about Ocasio-Cortez and the Met Gala, which I think is humorous but also very relevant and well-argued.

I'm a big opponent of Greenwald, but he definitely brings up an important point in his article. I've been seeing it in Nebraska's big cities lately as well. I was in Omaha the other day and I had to stop by a UPS office to drop off some mail. I noticed there were workers outside loading boxes onto a truck with masks on even though they were outdoors on a very hot day. It's of course most noticeable in restaurants where the waiters are all masked up and bringing food to the maskless customers. It doesn't feel right to me now that the vaccines are available to everyone.

[DaleCooper]

I find it annoying because she wants to have it both ways. She wants to rub elbows with the rich and famous (she is one of them now, after all) but also judge them as though she's still a struggling bartender.

She's not rich, although she's famous. But do you believe she went to the Met Gala in order to "rub elbows" with them? As opposed to using it as a platform for her own publicity and message - which, truth be told, is what most attendees are using the Met Gala for?

If she wanted to just have fun at the Met Gala, she could have quietly had a much more enjoyable time by wearing something stunning and not controversial and taken in the adoration of all the other attendees. Instead, she successfully made it a political moment.

I don't believe any of this whatsoever. This interpretation is so unbelievably charitable. Would you really believe this if someone used this reasoning for people you don't like? I've seen Trump supporters justify his relationship with every establishment "swamp" Republican in Washington by claiming he's just "keeping his enemies close." I'm very cynical these days, especially when it comes to politics. I don't believe AOC is mean or evil, if that's what you're asking, but I think that she gets a thrill out of publicity stunts and I'm sure that showing off this gaudy dress at a snooty entertainment event, where no one would have a negative thing to say about her anyway, was an exciting idea for her.

[DaleCooper]

AOC says she (and other NYC elected officials) were invited.

Anyway, obviously the post was deleted in this thread but it's pretty obvious what she was doing. The irony is the point, and clearly lost on the pearl-clutchers in this thread.

I find it annoying because she wants to have it both ways. She wants to rub elbows with the rich and famous (she is one of them now, after all) but also judge them as though she's still a struggling bartender. Socialists in this country are extremely, extremely judgmental of everyone that offends their sensibilities of what is and isn't fair in this economy, but they seem to universally have no problem living it up to the fullest themselves. I don't care if rich people enjoy an expensive night out to the gala, but I'd rather they not pretend to be men and women of the people while they do it.

And please, no one give me that god-awful "you participate in society" comic thing. It's so out of touch. Anyone who thinks that going to a $30,000 night of entertainment is merely "participating in society" is about as deluded about what the average American experience is like as Donald Trump is.

I didn't get the impression at all that she went there because she enjoyed rubbing elbows with the rich and famous - she seems pretty clearly to drag them all and make them uncomfortable, and expose their hypocrisy, as most of them there claim to be liberal/Democratic but don't want to actually do anything to help the poor.

The same can be said about her. There's a reason her publicity stunt didn't involve a "Tax the rich!" demonstration out in front of the gala.

[DaleCooper]

I find it annoying because she wants to have it both ways. She wants to rub elbows with the rich and famous (she is one of them now, after all) but also judge them as though she's still a struggling bartender.

She's not rich, although she's famous. But do you believe she went to the Met Gala in order to "rub elbows" with them? As opposed to using it as a platform for her own publicity and message - which, truth be told, is what most attendees are using the Met Gala for?

If she wanted to just have fun at the Met Gala, she could have quietly had a much more enjoyable time by wearing something stunning and not controversial and taken in the adoration of all the other attendees. Instead, she successfully made it a political moment.

I don't believe any of this whatsoever. This interpretation is so unbelievably charitable. Would you really believe this if someone used this reasoning for people you don't like? I've seen Trump supporters justify his relationship with every establishment "swamp" Republican in Washington by claiming he's just "keeping his enemies close." I'm very cynical these days, especially when it comes to politics. I don't believe AOC is mean or evil, if that's what you're asking, but I think that she gets a thrill out of publicity stunts and I'm sure that showing off this gaudy dress at a snooty entertainment event, where no one would have a negative thing to say about her anyway, was an exciting idea for her.

It sounds like not liking AOC is driving how you interpret the situation. That sounds like an emotional take. I’m going based on what I’ve observed about how she uses the media, traditional and social, to convey political messages. She has a much longer and more public track record of doing that than being a star-f…er.

You must be new to the online political discourse if you think that my commentary on AOC is driven by feelings. Aside from Donald Trump, she has the most devoted fans and haters of anyone. Pointing out that she's being obnoxious by playing up her anti-1%er brand while hanging out with the snobs at the MET Gala is far from an emotional take in any case, but definitely not compared to the worshipful praise and deranged hate that she gets. Oh and by the way, it's transparently obvious that the reason the "populist" left rhetoric has changed from being anti-1% and anti-millionaire to being merely anti-billionaire is purely to accommodate all the rich people that champion the left these days.

[DaleCooper]

You must be new to the online political discourse if you think that my commentary on AOC is driven by feelings. Aside from Donald Trump, she has the most devoted fans and haters of anyone. Pointing out that she's being obnoxious by playing up her anti-1%er brand while hanging out with the snobs at the MET Gala is far from an emotional take in any case, but definitely not compared to the worshipful praise and deranged hate that she gets. Oh and by the way, it's transparently obvious that the reason the "populist" left rhetoric has changed from being anti-1% and anti-millionaire to being merely anti-billionaire is purely to accommodate all the rich people that champion the left these days.

She went there to bash and troll them and make them feel uncomfortable, hence the dress. It's some pretty harsh spin to handwave that message away and portray it as if she was just there to smile and chat.

As many others including one of my fellow Nebraskans have now pointed out, this was a branding opportunity for her. She's a clever businesswoman, I'll give her that, but I find it impossible not to be skeptical when all of the heroic actions these people take conveniently further their own brands as well. As for this being "trolling", first of all I don't see how such immature behavior is anything to brag about, and second of all, if you think that modern art people are hostile to AOC, then you're out of touch with that crowd.

[DaleCooper]

You must be new to the online political discourse if you think that my commentary on AOC is driven by feelings. Aside from Donald Trump, she has the most devoted fans and haters of anyone. Pointing out that she's being obnoxious by playing up her anti-1%er brand while hanging out with the snobs at the MET Gala is far from an emotional take in any case, but definitely not compared to the worshipful praise and deranged hate that she gets. Oh and by the way, it's transparently obvious that the reason the "populist" left rhetoric has changed from being anti-1% and anti-millionaire to being merely anti-billionaire is purely to accommodate all the rich people that champion the left these days.

She went there to bash and troll them and make them feel uncomfortable, hence the dress. It's some pretty harsh spin to handwave that message away and portray it as if she was just there to smile and chat.

As many others including one of my fellow Nebraskans have now pointed out, this was a branding opportunity for her. She's a clever businesswoman, I'll give her that, but I find it impossible not to be skeptical when all of the heroic actions these people take conveniently further their own brands as well. As for this being "trolling", first of all I don't see how such immature behavior is anything to brag about, and second of all, if you think that modern art people are hostile to AOC, then you're out of touch with that crowd.

As I said ...

The crowd was full of people who are liberal on paper but still don't want to pay higher taxes to accomplish left-wing goals. AOC went there to make them uncomfortable.

How do you know this? And can't AOC troll them without enjoying a $30,000 night at the gala that's provided for her by underpaid servants?

[DaleCooper]

How do you know this? And can't AOC troll them without enjoying a $30,000 night at the gala that's provided for her by underpaid servants?

The Met Gala is one of the most publicized and photographed events of the year. The media attention is unparalleled.

What do you think the Met Gala is all about?

It's about self-serving publicity.

[DaleCooper]

How do you know this? And can't AOC troll them without enjoying a $30,000 night at the gala that's provided for her by underpaid servants?

The Met Gala is one of the most publicized and photographed events of the year. The media attention is unparalleled.

What do you think the Met Gala is all about?

It's about self-serving publicity.

She advocates taxing the rich.

That's great. I just want people to live by the standards they set for everyone else. After years and years and years of hearing socialists whine about how unfair it is that the rich get to sip champaign at exclusive parties that are staffed by low-wage servers, it'd be nice if they didn't all attend those same events once they make it big too.

[DaleCooper]

How do you know this? And can't AOC troll them without enjoying a $30,000 night at the gala that's provided for her by underpaid servants?

The Met Gala is one of the most publicized and photographed events of the year. The media attention is unparalleled.

What do you think the Met Gala is all about?

It's about self-serving publicity.

She advocates taxing the rich.

That's great. I just want people to live by the standards they set for everyone else. After years and years and years of hearing socialists whine about how unfair it is that the rich get to sip champaign at exclusive parties that are staffed by low-wage servers, it'd be nice if they didn't all attend those same events once they make it big too.

 Is what on Earth is wrong with her attending a black tie gala? Yeah she served her time literally. And it's not like she doesn't spend, you know, her full time, or more likely time and a 1/2 job fighting 247 against economic inequality and lack of economic opportunity. The fact that she can let her hair down and go to a party doesn't prove Jack.

Give me a people's upset definitively, what type of person Seriously believes that part of believing in economic is being an economic equality and a quality of opportunity is opportunity, and accordingly revamping our tax code to make it more progressive in the meantime meantime, requires living some Spartan joy is Spartan joyless lifestyle?? If she were going to these parties on a nightly or even weekly basis you might have a it might have a case. But come on, this is just performance art.

Oh of course, AOC is very much the personification of perfection. I recognize that she, much like Jesus Christ before her, is dedicating her life to uplifting tens of millions (perhaps even billions if we include her global Twitter outreach) of people. I realize that I have no place criticizing an elected official, but I just think that it's a bit hypocritical to hang out with the high society people when she's built a brand out of being an everywoman. I could never possibly comprehend the 3D chess that she's playing here so I suppose I should just place my faith in her and put my criticism aside.

[DaleCooper]

AOC's dress was such a heroic stand against inequality.

[DaleCooper]

AOC's dress was such a heroic stand against inequality.

I don't want to keep beating a dead horse here, so let's try a different tack. Can you describe for me what an appropriate way for her to promote change in the tax laws would be, in your view, that wouldn't be a selfish / hypocritical indulgence?

Sure! I mentioned earlier she could've staged a "Tax the Rich" demonstration in protest of the Met Gala's elitism. She could organize or help lend credibility to efforts to pressure New York's new governor to combat income inequality through new tax legislation. She could've participated in a charity event. Anything.

Frankly, if she had just gone to the Met Gala because she wanted to be there, then I wouldn't be anywhere near as annoyed, but the fact that she's going and wearing a silly meme dress like this to pretend that she's doing something is what insults me. Don't make a mockery out of a real cause just to further your own brand. And there's nothing brave about pushing a totally safe message like "Tax the Rich" at an event surrounded by a completely friendly audience. There was nothing brave about LinkedIn's rainbow logo back in June either. It's just a classless branding exercise done on the back of a serious issue, and I would rather we not redefine "activism" to allow things like this to fit.