The repercussions of ideas are far-reaching, a fact that America has come to understand profoundly in the past decade.
The nation has witnessed the infiltration of 'wokeness' into its societal fabric, a philosophy that insists on the relentless pursuit of hidden prejudice. This ideology has undermined many of the country's fundamental principles.
The concept of impartial justice has been supplanted by identity-based social justice. Objective truth has been replaced by subjective versions of it, often referred to as "my truth" and "your truth." Even the perception of beauty, the belief that certain qualities are more aesthetically pleasing than others, has been upended.
The ramifications of this 'woke' perspective on beauty are evident in various sectors, including fashion, entertainment, and advertising. It has even influenced something as innocuous as the White House's Christmas decorations.
Before President Joe Biden's tenure, the responsibility of decorating the White House during Christmas fell on former first lady Melania Trump. According to Lily Cooper, a former writer for The Western Journal, Trump's decorations were a testament to her aesthetic sensibility.
In a 2021 article, Cooper compared Trump's decorations with those of Jill Biden, stating that Biden's decorations were far less impressive. "While the mainstream media, of course, are praising the 'normal Christmas' Biden is bringing forward, I say that this 'normal' is boring and bland, making mall decorations look exciting," Cooper wrote.
Cooper criticized the lack of coherence in Biden's decorations, likening it to the chaotic merging of furniture styles by newlyweds. She was particularly critical of the China Room's decor, stating, "The purple and yellow flowers throw off the entire aesthetic of the room and remind me more of the beginning of spring, rather than a representation of a family Christmas dinner."
Biden's subsequent decorations have not shown much improvement, with true beauty being sidelined for peculiar art and dull decorations. In contrast, Melania Trump, as Cooper noted, aimed for aesthetic excellence with her decorations.
"She made the White House her canvas and creatively and modernly made it into a piece of Christmas art. In 2017, she infamously decorated the halls with bare white trees, creating a winter wonderland effect," Cooper wrote. "The Christmas trees dazzled in snow and glittering lights, and some were covered in pine cones and ribbon. Her theme tied together with each room, while also allowing each space to stand out on its own. Trumps knowledge of style helped her succeed when it came to planning these rooms."
Cooper also defended Trump's controversial decision to use red Christmas trees in 2018, arguing that it was in line with her high-fashion sensibility. "What made the trees work was that she tied the red color throughout the rest of the decorations. There was a theme," she added.
It is clear that the Trump family placed a high value on beauty during the Christmas season. As reported by The Western Journal, there is hope that Melania Trump will once again bring her aesthetic touch to the White House Christmas decorations in the future.
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