Kamala Harris may be running for president, but she’s been very vague on her policies and vision for the country. Since being selected to replace Joe Biden as the Democrat candidate, her plans for the future have been articulated with word salads. What’s more, her campaign website contains nothing more than brief outlines of her and VP nominee Tim Walz, with no mention of an agenda for their administration should they win.

In the past, this would have been the death of a campaign. Failing to share your views and clearly outline the course you will take to improve the lives of the people with the ballots would have stopped a candidacy in its tracks.

However, times have changed, and priorities have shifted. It is obvious that the depth we once demanded of those seeking to lead the greatest country on earth is now not only an afterthought (if relevant at all), but those high expectations seem almost absurd for consideration by today’s voters.

This lowered bar can likely be attributed, in large part, to the beliefs and values of a new swath of decision-makers. Following past generations who have valued work, independence, and self-reliance, today’s young voters have markedly different views.

Gen Z is the first generation to be born into a world where the Internet and social media were available from the minute of their birth. Being raised in an environment of instant access, immediate results, and quick answers has fostered a body of young adults who want whatever comes quickly instead of the things that take effort to attain.

Unfortunately, they are susceptible to deceptive media and will likely make important political decisions based on that media’s substance-free messaging.

That is, if they tune into the news at all. A greater level of influence for Gen Zers, as they decide who the next president should be, is not a candidate’s voting record, policy proposals, or level of experience. Instead, they are motivated by the campaign that can create the best memes and TikTok dances or successfully incorporate trending catchphrases into their brand.

Here’s an example: Over the summer, the word “brat” spread across TikTok like a firestorm. In Gen Z language and contrary to historical English usage, “brat” is a compliment toward a person who exudes boldness, defiance, or even rebellion.

The word became a viral trend after artist Charli XCX’s hit album “Brat” was released this summer, subsequently popularizing the slime-green color used on the album cover and creating a market for merch of the same shade. The album also inspired fans to coin a new term, “brat summer,” to describe the vibe of the season.

What does this have to do with Kamala Harris, politics, or voting? Seeing the hype of this catchphrase and its brand, the Harris campaign sought to appeal to popular influencers and their followers by jumping on the “brat” bandwagon. In July, an X account emerged called “Kamala HQ,” which was branded with slime green and the “Brat” aesthetic.

As eye-rolling as it was, this strategy was successful with Harris’s target audience, as the Gen Z base seemed to gush about her candidacy in return. Their infatuation with Harris lit a fire of excitement that would have been minimal at best without “brat,” as she had been mired at 28% approval before being selected as the Democrats’ candidate. Her instant popularity also gave her a pass on her abysmal record and her shady history as a district attorney and attorney general in California. At least temporarily.

In one clip posted on X, when one such Gen Z supporter is asked how Kamala is “so us,” he responds, “She’s so us because she’s brat.”

However, now that the “brat summer” is over, Kamala Harris needs to find a new trend to latch onto so as not to lose the interest of her newfound fans.

Though the initial boost was manufactured, and though it seems unsustainable by being built on something as trivial and fleeting as a trend, OutKick’s Hayley Caronia warns Republicans not to assume her popularity will fizzle out. What generated Kamala’s instant boost of fame and appeal will be the thing that keeps it going.

Hayley says of the tactics that work with today’s young voters, “Gone are the days of traditional news, and ad campaigns, and hit pieces, fluff pieces, and stuffy politics. Memes and internet trolling are the here and now, they are the future, and yes, they have a place, if not a stranglehold on American politics.” She goes on to warn the other side, “If Republicans don’t hire Gen Z to make memes on their behalf, we are getting nuked in November.”

It is unfortunate that the significance of casting a ballot has been reduced to superficial motivations and that the presidency can be determined by the best jokes and celebrity endorsements.

Not long ago, a clip of Harris went viral. In it, she made derogatory statements about the young adult age group. “What else do we know about this population, 18 through 24?” she asked. “They are stupid! That is why we put them in dormitories, and they have a resident assistant. They make really bad decisions!”

Many recirculated this clip in hopes of awakening Gen Z to how little their celebrated candidate respects them. Though it appears that Harris is taking a chance by talking down to a group that she might eventually need, she seems to be acknowledging that she knows how little it takes to sway this group, even with shallow tactics.

As unintelligent as Kamala Harris often seems, her word salads contain little gems at times — especially when she tells us exactly what she wants us to hear.

While the Right criticizes her for not doing interviews, laying out her plans on her website, or being clear about what she wants to do in the White House, the truth is that she doesn’t need to — at least not at the moment.

When all you have to do is create memes and latch onto viral trends and phrases, policy and planning seem sort of unnecessary.