President Biden’s 81st birthday cake poking fun at his age went viral, but according to tech reporter Taylor Lorenz, the humor won’t be enough to win over young voters in 2024. The internet exploded with memes after Biden shared a jokey post to celebrate his birthday, but no amount of viral content and memes will be enough to secure votes from Gen Z. Lorenz argues that the President and his staff are missing the mark on how to connect with young people and that they need to focus on engaging them on a more serious level through policy that affects their day-to-day lives.
The issues that Lorenz believes Biden is out of touch with when it comes to young voters include the economy, housing, healthcare, and even the Israel-Hamas conflict. She asserts that Biden is not reflecting their views on these topics, and that alone isn’t resonating with Gen Z. Furthermore, Biden’s missteps, such as recently mixing up Britney Spears and Taylor Swift, are only serving to highlight his out-of-touchness with younger demographics.
Lorenz, in an appearance on “TMZ Live,” emphasized the need for Biden to engage with young people on a deeper level. In her view, the President needs to focus on substantive policies that will directly impact their lives. Memes and viral content, while entertaining, are not enough to sway the opinions of young voters.
Biden needs to sharpen up and engage 20-somethings with substance if he wants to rely on their support at the polls. At the moment, the gimmicks and humor are not cutting it. According to Lorenz, Biden’s lack of engagement on issues that matter to the younger demographic is a critical flaw in his approach to securing their votes.
It is emphasized that Taylor Lorenz, who covers all things digital for the Washington Post, has a book titled ‘Extremely Online,’ which touches on the nuances of going viral. This book offers further insights into the dynamics of internet culture and the impact of viral content on different demographics.
In summary, the internet may have enjoyed Joe Biden’s birthday cake meme, but according to Taylor Lorenz, it won’t be enough to secure support from young voters. The President and his team need to refocus their efforts and engage with Gen Z on a more serious and substantive level. Only then will they be able to build the necessary support to secure votes in the next election.