Analysis Of Donald Trump's Allegory Of The Cave And The MAGA Campaign

In the past 10 years you’ve probably read and heard the slogan “Make America Great Again” (NBC, 2016) hundreds, if not thousands of times. You’ve seen it everywhere on red ball caps and flown on flags from Ford F-150s. You have heard Donald Trump, the owner of the memorable phrase, say it in his speeches, political debates, and all over the news. Trump coined his campaign slogan in 2014 during his campaign for presidency. The MAGA movement has caused a pervasive political shift in America and has overall been a part of cultural change as well as stagnation. In addition, I would argue that MAGA has been the most successful political advertisement in recent history. Trump’s political campaign extends the idea that he will make America great

Plato’s Allegory of the Cave describes a group of people who are imprisoned in a cave and can only see shadows on the wall, representing the limited knowledge and perspectives they have (Plato). The story is a critique of those who hold onto their beliefs without questioning them or considering other perspectives. Similarly, supporters of the MAGA campaign often hold grapes to beliefs that are limited to their own experiences and perspectives. The campaign's message of "Making America Great Again" can be seen as a nostalgic longing for a past that may not have actually existed, but is a construction of the memories and limited knowledge of a narrow worldview. The MAGA movement has both intrigued people to the past of American conservatism as well as kept those of that mindset in its

In her essay, "In Your Face… All Over The Place”: Advertising Is Our Environment, Kilbourne argues that advertising has a profound impact on our lives and shapes our understanding of the world. Her argument highlights the powerful impact that advertising and media can have on shaping our beliefs and values, and in the case of the MAGA campaign, the repeated use of the slogan and imagery has ingrained the image into the culture and politics of America. She explains, "Advertising is the groundwork of our consumer culture and shapes not only our purchasing decisions but also our attitudes and values. It creates needs that didn't exist and reinforces stereotypes and biases" (Kilbourne). The MAGA campaign, through its messages and associated symbols, has become a part of the larger advertising and media landscape. The red MAGA hat Trump flags are constantly being marketed and re-interpreted by various media outlets, influencing the attitudes and beliefs of those exposed to them. Meanwhile, these products turn a profit for those producing them and expand the widespread campaign. The marketing of the MAGA has created a new need (for merchandise) and reinforced certain biases (of what MAGA means), just as Kilbourne argues advertising on a broad