What Twitter Trends Reveal
Twitter’s trending topics range from feverish fan exchanges to solidarity in the face of devastating tragedy. They can be pockets of gossip and rumors or insight on noteworthy events. Over the past year or two, I have incorporated Twitter’s trends into my daily routine, checking the particular selection of hashtags in the morning while I eat a quick breakfast before school or in the idle minutes before calling it a night. And it’s not because I’m addicted to social media and online entertainment, but because I’ve found it to be an effective way to quickly look over the relevant news stories of the day, whether that be the passing of a beloved celebrity or a heated sports matchup or another deadly shooting.
Friday night, I went to sleep to #WeAreProudOfYouLauren, an outpouring of support from Fifth Harmony fans and others to the open letter penned by member Lauren Jauregui, in which she addressed Donald Trump and his supporters while publicly coming out as bisexual. I was overwhelmed, but not surprised, by the acceptance and love toward Lauren. I read through countless tweets that applauded her bravery and honesty, citing her as a role model and an inspiration. From posting photosets to writing statements in all caps, almost everyone I came across was celebrating Lauren’s personal milestone. It was a collection of heartwarming positivity, a mark of the progress we’ve made in LGBTQ+ visibility and acceptance in entertainment and society.
Saturday morning, I woke up to #BoycottHamilton, a phenomenon that arose following Vice
President-Elect Mike Pence’s appearance at Hamilton the night before and the audience and cast’s response to his presence. It didn’t take me long to see that many of the tweets under the hashtag were ridiculing its sentiment rather than advocating for it. Nevertheless, I was struck by the tangible divide between the two opposing sides. On the one hand, supporters of the show and the statements made by cast member Brandon Victor Dixon, who plays Aaron Burr, defended and commended Dixon’s first amendment rights while simultaneously reminding everyone that Hamilton is sold out for the foreseeable future, making a boycott utterly futile. On the other hand, many are angered by the remarks for being anything from unnecessary to liberal propaganda. The stark contrast between the two sides is disconcerting, serving as further proof of the consequences of the divisive election cycle. Neither appears willing to compromise or even simply listen to those with different viewpoints. Instead, it seems like they are screaming into an echo-chamber of like-minded people, accomplishing nothing.
As a fan of both the girl group Fifth Harmony and the Broadway musical Hamilton, I was entranced by these two number one trends. While scrolling through the prior, I was uplifted by the sheer magnitude of support. While reading through the latter, I was reminded of the cracks left between Americans. Both hashtags demonstrate the power that social media holds in influencing large masses of people, organizing ideas, and communicating thought. I can only hope that it is the love I saw in #WeAreProudOfYouLauren that trumps the divide I witnessed in #BoycottHamilton.
