Brands in Politics: Why The Risk is Worth it

By Lily Bridgewater

Should brands use their voices to get involved in the political realm? Or should they stay out of it all together?

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In my experience, when people with opposing political views have a discussion it rarely ends well. More often than not it turns into a volume match. Who can speak the loudest? Who has more stamina?

Today some of the loudest voices that exist come in the form of big brands. People follow brands like Nike, Apple, Stance and Google like they follow religion. There are people who live eat and breathe specific brands because the brand lifestyle and values resonate with them. 

So what about when the brand has something to say that isn't necessarily about the way you play the game or the product? Should they risk losing loyalty and sales or should they keep quiet and stay in their lane? 

Although brands will likely suffer a loss of some from when they make political statements, I believe it's better and more beneficial for them to use their platforms to make statements than to stay silent in today's political climate. 

There is something in the water...

I wanted to focus on the actual meaning and origin of the word “Leviathan” (mostly because I think ancient, mysterious, biblical sea monsters are fascinating –and Disney mentioned it briefly in the second Atlantis movie and that is enough reason for me to spend time discussing it.) Using the imagery of a ferocious and powerful sea monster was an interesting choice for Hobbes, especially since the Leviathan has several different roles in the Bible (and in Disney films).

In the Hebrew Bible of the Book of Job, God describes the Leviathan to Job as a mighty beast who cannot be controlled, caged, or destroyed by the strength of men; only God can control this sea monster (refer to picture) and therefore Job is to have more faith in God’s power of creation and His control over the earth. Most likely, this is the form of the Leviathan that Hobbes was referring to.

However, if we jump to the book of Isaiah, God describes the Leviathan as a symbol of wickedness and specifically, wicked kings, and that if the people of God have faith in Him, this type of wickedness (A.K.A the strength of the Leviathan) cannot succeed.

And then in the second installment of Disney’s Atlantis (this is one of my favorite movie series so of course I’m going to talk about it) the Leviathan acts as a type of “hive mind” where it takes complete control of the population of a nearby village and makes them do whatever it wants, even if they commit evil.

So with these three forms of the Leviathan in mind and what they represent in a commonwealth, I definitely doubt more the social contract theory of Hobbes. Thanks to the Bible and Disney, I more strongly support the theory that man is good and therefore can govern him/herself with the need for a controlling sovereign. 

Image Credit: "Destruction of the Leviathan by Gustave Doré" (Public Domain Image via WikiCommons)

Take a Step Back

Following the Reformation, people started to pick up the pieces of their faith and understanding and start putting things back together. Now that they were free to think and act as they pleased (to a certain extent) people started forming new belief systems based on the rapidly progressing scientific discoveries and radical political views. Those who already had shaken faith started to wonder if religion was even necessary. All these conflicting views—while bringing about a lot of good changes in the world—caused just as much contention. 

I think that during the Age of Reason social dynamics began to change. Because people could think for themselves, they didn't have to rely on what anyone else thought or said; they could form their own opinions. With so many new advances and discoveries in science, politics, philosophy, etc. there began to be a larger divide between the different schools of thought. Everyone began to form their own opinions which caused a rift in the societies. Thomas Paine, a revered writer and "thinker," was even thrown in jail for a time while in France for his beliefs.

Today at the office where I work, I overhead two of my coworkers discussing politics. Interested, I went into the office and listened to what they each had to say. The discussion ended with, "no more discussing politics." While the Age of Reason was absolutely crucial to the progression of society, there are negative side effects that have only gotten worse. With so many different views, it's hard to remember that in the end, most everyone is trying to achieve the same thing: truth and happiness.

Image credit: Éléments de la philosophie de Newton of 1738 (public domain images via Wikimedia Commons)