Bhavana Etikela

How social media is shaping political discourse

In the 2024 presidential debate between former President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump, it became clear that political discourse in America had fully merged with internet culture. Within minutes of the debate’s broadcast, TikTok and X were flooded with short clips. Biden’s frail voice and empty-eyed stare sparked jokes about him needing “a cough drop,” an energy drink or even Adderall, with one user quipping, “They accidentally injected Biden with ketamine instead of adrenaline.” Memes compared his expressions to a dog caught misbehaving or someone seeing ghosts.