You can try to fight it, and people are, but this summer is still going to be a Brat Summer. Characterised by Charlie XCX herself as ‘a pack of cigs, a Bic lighter and a strappy white top with no bra’, this is a dose of nihilism, messiness, mischief-making and a vivid acid green that says ‘I don’t care what you think, I’m going to do it because I want to.’ It’s a vibe laced in the jester archetype, in making mischief and having fun.
Initially propagated by the girlies, gays and theys, it has become the meme du jour, making its way through brands like Field Roast’s vegan bratwurst to the heights of Kamala Harris’ official campaign Twitter (arguably marking its death as a piece of organic culture).
It’s an aesthetic which is powerful because of its opposition to the raw emotion and power anxiety displayed by figures like Hulk Hogan ripping off one vest, to reveal a new vest at the Republican National Convention. But it also sits in opposition to good behaviour and traditional wisdom — creating room for an acerbic form of action, challenge and provocation. It’s the power to challenge and provoke that we are seeing figures in the media embracing to make an impact through mischief, breaking the rules and being unafraid to bite the hands that feed you.
Perhaps the most well-known figure to leverage this provocation is British comedian Joe Lycett. Joe uses his pranks and stunts to speak truth to power, highlighting their behaviour as ridiculous as his own — most recently pretending to sue Harry Styles for a KitKat Chunky Peanut Butter to highlight Shell’s unjust litigation against Greenpeace. His stunts are always rooted in supporting the David over Goliath, investing in community (mostly his home town of Birmingham) and calling out hypocrisy — twisting the humour of the jester into an effective tool of action, which whilst not always successful in driving change is undoubtedly powerful in gaining attention and public support. Here, trickery becomes a tool of the just; mischief one of the campaigners.
A disregard for good behaviour and breaking the rules has become a mark of authenticity, especially in the curated and disingenuous world of social media influencing
Figures like Charlie Craggs ‘“The voice of a community” — @britishvogue (lol)’, is an activist who combines the earnest and the chaotic, both founding initiatives like Nail Transphobia, that provides space for connection between trans people and those who want a free manicure, as well as wearing and posting about a line of that’s so straight merch — ‘“it’s just a phrase” please stop being offended so easily you can’t say anything these days.’
The ads she posts as an influencer are chaotic and she has even berated followers via her story for not engaging with them enough. There are so many layers of parody and insincerity here that break the rules of product placement, but they also add to her authenticity and potency as a voice. It’s almost as if other influencers have forgotten that they are supposed to be fun to watch.
In the US, environmental activist and Drag Queen Pattie Gonia has been working with National Park Service employees helping to throw pride in Yosemite for the last 4 years. They work with brands and institutions to facilitate more queer people enjoying and participating in the outdoors, including facilitating conversations around Landback for indigenous Americans and setting up Queer Outdoors, a queer job board for those looking for work in the field.
However, this year, in the face of new restrictions on pride events in National Parks, Pattie went on the attack, using their reach and influence to help support resistance to the restrictions and successfully overturn them. What’s interesting about this dynamic is how spokespeople, whether official or unofficial, are bestowed with enormous influence and power by brands. That which is dressed in the trappings of ‘entertainment’ can quickly become a powerful tool for holding organisations to account. It’s a reminder that these professional relationships are partnerships, not control; as Pattie says — ‘I don’t work for you, I work for lesbian Mother Nature’.
In the growth in the mischievous and misbehaving, we can see a shift in power styles happening across culture.
Whilst discourse grounds to a halt through slogging matches like the culture wars, there is an energy around doing the unexpected, being chaotic-good, breaking the rules, having integrity, sticking to your guns and challenging power by being a bit of a brat.
Featured image: Olga Lioncat / Pexels
