The Opinions The Aesthetic That Explains American Identity Now
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Dec 2, 2025 
Tressie McMillan Cottom, a sociologist and insightful NY Times columnist, teams up with Emily Keegan, a creative consultant, to explore the surge of rural aesthetics in today's culture. They dive into how trends like cowboy boots and farmhouse decor signal deeper political meanings. Tressie highlights the connection between nostalgia and political messaging, while Emily examines the authenticity that voters seek. Together, they question whether Democrats should embrace these rural signifiers to redefine their political narrative.
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Rural Aesthetic Is Everywhere
- Rural aesthetics have mainstreamed across TV, design, comedy, social media, and pop music.
- These signifiers (farmhouse, cottage, country-inflected comedy) show a cultural turn toward pastoral imagery.
Nostalgia Turns Aesthetic Into Politics
- Cultural trends become political when they hit a specific political moment and are imbued with meaning.
- Nostalgia for an imagined rural past connects directly to contemporary political projects.
Southerness Bridges Urban Figures To Rural Imagery
- Donald Trump reads as rural not because of biography but because he taps into Southerness and its romanticized repertoire.
- Southerness in the imagination is a short step from broader rural symbolism.