Trump's War on Tiki Aesthetics

Source: @thesis_11 on X

I will never vote for Trump, especially after this blatant disregard for Tiki aesthetics and history. This is the most legitimate reason for opposing Trump. Midcentury Tiki bars are an otherworldly urban oasis that are rare after most were dismantled in the late 20th Century. Tiki represents an obsession with the exotic from a period when the White middle class was at its peak, and mass travel was becoming accessible to the masses.

While Trump as a businessman put profit over aesthetic concerns and history, he could have easily saved that Tiki Bar. However, Trump’s brand is kitsch, and I can appreciate Trump Tower for its Retro-futurist attributes. It is hilarious that Trump would call anything tacky considering Trump’s aesthetic is so gaudy.

There is also an element of rightwing-post modernism to MAGA and the dissident right. Fuse 20th Century Nostalgia and patriotism with contemporary trashy pop culture. Embrace Tiki Nationalism, and no this isn’t a Cville dog whistle.