Where Politics and Pop Culture Meet
Today’s Wall Street Journal takes a look at a study done by Facebook that examines what people who “like” one of the two major presidential candidates also “like” in areas of pop culture. For clarity, the study did not consider users who “liked” both candidates. The results were broken down by state, so it is possible to see regional differences in likes, as well as political ones.
For example, take a look at preferences in musicians and bands. Nationwide, Hillary Clinton supporters “liked” Adele the most. For those backing Donald Trump, Ted Nugent took the top spot. But in much of the South, including Georgia, Beyonce was the favorite of Clintonites, while Luke Bryan was the favorite of Trumpsters in Georgia, with most of the rest of the South liking George Strait.
For movie actors / directors, George Takei dominated the preferences of Clinton supporters almost nationwide, except in the old South, including Georgia, where Jada Pinkett Smith took top honors. For Trump fans, Adam Sandler was at the top in the Eastern states, including Georgia, while John Wayne did well in the southwest and west. Movies? Harry Potter nationwide for those who “liked” Hillary, although Georgians preferred Love & Basketball. On the side of Trump supporters, God’s Not Dead was the fave of most of the country including Georgia. The Rachel Maddow Show for Clinton fans and Duck Dynasty for Trump fans topped television favorites, both nationwide and in Georgia.
Preferences for books and athletes were far more diverse across the country than film and TV. The Great Gatsby was the favorite book of Hillary supporters, followed by Lord of the Rings. For Hillary fans in the old South, including Georgia, I Declare, Joel Osteen topped the list. Trump supporters, on the other hand, seem enamored by the weather. The Old Farmers Almanac carried the top spot nationwide, including in the Peach State, while The Farmers Almanac was second, being more popular in the upper Midwest and Plains states. Of note: the top choice of Texans supporting Trump was Texas Got it Right.
For Hillary Clinton supporters, both nationwide and in Georgia, Serena Williams was the top athlete. Ronda Rousey was the favorite athlete of Donald Trump supporters nationwide. In Georgia, Tim Tebow was the favorite.
About Author
Jon Richards
Add a Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Never thought that my disagreements with Trumpanzees would dredge as deep as their fondness for Adam Sandler. There can be no unity now…the Rubicon has been crossed.
So both the status quo left and right prefer their own specific utopias. This is what is wrong with the US these days. How can you ever reconcile the two extremes that personal taste shows?
Left+unrealistic science fantasy = humanity’s future focused (what is here, now and dreams what may come). They see themselves as better than others, like the characters in Gatsby. They aspire to be rich elite liberals. And they want to use Hogwarts majik to make it happen. Just wave a wand!
Right+inculcated religious fantasy = afterlife focused (rejects the now for a possible post death reward)
The right fantasises they want to be rich and powerful rednecks, like the Duck Family. Ignoring what they were before the TV show (rich white suburbanites). They gravitate to religious figures, even though it is clear that Tim Tebow has NOT been blessed by his gods, or he would be playing football somewhere now. A Christian pro athlete – another prosperity fantasy of the right. Farmer’s almanac… surprised that is was not the KJV.
Folks like you and me are just stuck in eye rolling mode, watching these two groups attempt to ‘represent’ us all.
The left fantasies have to be Paris Hilton wanna be’s with crime lord parents.
Trump is looked on like a parent demanding their 25 yr old go get a job and move out.
Give me a break! Now we are using the sages on facebook as barometers for the two political positions? WSJ is part of today’s manipulative news media, spewing constant idiocy, and this may just take the prize. The media industry has one focus: Leave public service info at the door, simply do everything you can to bury Trump and humiliate anyone with the audacity to support him.
Both are flawed candidates, and I don’t know which is worse – the devil we know or the devil we don’t know. I’m still just trying to figure out what happened to that “hopey changey thing.”