My Sunday starts like any other. Wake up and check the time in my ridiculously dark bedchamber (there are no windows– yes, I’m in a basement), roll back to sleep for two hours, actually get up around 9:30, put on a generic enough outfit that will suit whatever activities I may choose to do, and head upstairs for breakfast. For the past month I’ve been dressing in proper work attire, which has been quite a shock to my system. My tshirts, once a staple of my college wardrobe, have grown comfortable in the humid darkness of my dresser, waiting for a moment to escape when I am no longer bound to a code of minimal professionality.
Today's shirt is from Low Level, a non-digital designer out of Philly (I think). Besides a selection of musically-inspired insurgent shirts, Low Level also offers vintage pins, cassettes and other ephemera.
My morning continued with a bit of cooking for the week, and after finishing up, I once again retreated downstairs to grab a book. As I was getting ready to read, and throw on a concert or something on Youtube, I noticed something exciting on my feed. A new music video for ‘Going Shopping’- the Strokes single I have greatly enjoyed, and have already written about. Unfortunately, I did not see the brief teaser for the video posted the day prior, so this release was very much a surprise. The universe seems to be sending me some kind of Strokes-related message.
(Please pause and watch the music video at this time)
As usual, my judgements are not rooted in personal preference, but rather a critical analysis of what seems to be happening in the video.
The opening shot makes you feel small. The angle of the Auditorio de Tenerife, located in the Canary Islands, is imposing. Resembling a wave about to break, or a cobra ready to strike, the shots of the building, briefly illuminated, place you, the viewer, at a critical point. How will you prepare yourself for the coming wave?
Perhaps Walton Goggins can help us out. Dressed in a similar manner to frontman Julian Casablancas, he prepares to take the mic as the opening titles roll. Before we can hear from Goggins, however, the scene shifts, and we see him dressed in a suave white outfit, similar to something I might see in my former college town of West Palm Beach. He is juxtaposed by Casablancas, dressed in his traditional style of dark, 'alternative' clothing.
As our protagonists near each other, framed by a black steel grid that neatly separates the screen, Goggins thwarts Casablancas' attempt at an amicable handshake, and opts to selfishly smooth back his hair. Julian, not missing a beat, mirrors his action. The game is on.
After sitting in a pose that faintly reminds me of quixotic, impractical political debates hosted only to gain views and revenue, Goggins begins to deliver the song's opening lyrics, almost stealing the words out of Julian's mouth, as we see him get ready to speak. This brief act informs my interpretation moving forward- the message that Casablancas was getting ready to deliver has now been co-opted by Goggins.
Goggins seems to be delivering some uncomfortable truths: "Like a tiger they will chase you down with words instead of claws." To me, this reads as a political figure warning of the dangers of cancel culture. Proselytizing that "they will seduce you 'till the point to let yourself get mauled", an anxious viewer can only hope that Goggins will provide some solutions to the present age of cancel-culture politics.
Julian seems unbothered, and a bit stupefied by Goggins' message. In time, Goggins delivers what I consider to be a fundamental line of the song:
"The worse reality gets, the less you want to hear about it"
(reader, I'm kindly letting you know that this is where my initial interpretation of the song, before seeing the music video, diverges)
Goggins' character wants to keep it real with you. He's not going to act like things are great right now. Perhaps we, the viewers, faced with a coming wave of turmoil symbolized by the Auditorio de Tenerife, should heed what he has to say.
In a predictably ironic turn, Goggins delivers the second part of the line ("solidarity can be difficult when you've got cool stuff to lose") as a generic food delivery employee approaches him with his order.
Interestingly, some of the most natural and genuine shots of the video are sprinkled in as Goggins explains his personal political vision, and alludes to how he wishes to escape our current social climate (essentially by retreating from existing civic institutions and finding a new talking head to follow- him!). The delivery man is filmed with a shaky camera, embracing the naturally imposing architecture, almost surrendering to it rather than attempting to fight it.
With Goggins being too distracted by his own convictions, Julian takes his delivery and reveals it to the audience: a large container of vibrant blue liquid labelled "100% natural".
Nice. #makeamericahealthyagain
Before we make it to the chorus, I want to pause for a moment and point out some key elements of the video that are shaping my interpretation.
- Interaction with audience: Goggins and Casablancas are both aware of an audience, with Goggins speaking directly to us, and Casablancas providing some colorful facial expressions.
- Lighting: Immediate contrasts occur in the first few seconds of the video, between daytime and nighttime. Additionally, the synthetically warm palette of everything we've observed so far is stylistically different from most other Strokes music videos, which I tend to think of as having a cooler (like the colors, not vibes), more futuristic palette.
- Set/structures: Man is that just a killer piece of architecture. Building architect Santiago Calatrava loosely falls into a modernist school, and says of his own work, "My major interest is the introduction of a new formal vocabulary, composed of forms adapted to our time." That quote doesn't really do a lot for me, but looking at some of Calatrava's other work does. He actually designed Florida Polytechnic Uniceristy, located in Lakeland, which would always remind me of a dinosaur every time I passed it on the highway.
- The internet says that he is inspired by natural forms and the human body, and I am pleased to announce that I (not an architectural critic) agree with this statement. His bridges look like birds about to take flight, and his skyscrapers resemble someone slowly turning their body. So a comparison to a coming wave, or a snake about to bite are not unwarranted. The building must be providing meaning too.
- Another comparison of note is Jordan Peele's 'Jean Jacket' from Nope, and the heptapod ships from Arrival.
- Besides the auditorium, the neatly divided set where Casablancas and Goggins' interactions take place is also of note. At first, the bare scaffolding can almost go unnoticed. But as the video progresses, we come to understand that the bars represent an ideological divide between protagonists.
- Costumes: As previously stated, the costumes are working to characterize the differences between our protagonists. What I find interesting are the shots where Goggins is wearing a darker, Casablancas-style outfit while crooning in front of the auditorium. I'm not quite sure what that all means yet. There are also some pretty blatant references to Paul Simon's 'You Can Call Me Al', featuring Chevy Chase, but I'm not exactly sure how that factors in here either.
As we approach the chorus, I think it becomes clear that Goggins is acting as a symbol of post-MAGA conservatism, relying on a (co-opted) populist message that Casablancas was ready to deliver. If you're even a bit familiar with Julian's politics, this should track.
Let me get on a different soapbox for a moment, and provide some data to support my claim. This Brookings article, titled "MAGA Republicans Won the Party but May Lose the Future", states that, "Rank-and-file Republicans have made something clear to pollsters: The GOP is now also a MAGA party. It's a change that has occurred with remarkable speed. The Economist/YouGov poll, which has closely tracked this development, found that in September 2022, only 38% of Republicans identified as MAGA Republicans. By May 2026, that number had risen to 62%." These shifts aren't necessarily happening because more people are supporting Trump's policies, but rather, because non-MAGA Republicans are becoming increasingly alienated from Trump's GOP. As the article shares, Republican Kristin Soltis found that 62% of "Trump-first" Republicans described themselves as extremely motivated to vote, while only 49% of "party-first" Republicans said the same.
"The non-MAGA Republicans now look more like independents than party loyalists, a major problem for Trump and his party. Non-MAGA Republicans will thus be far more important in determining the political future, in 2026 and beyond-- in part because MAGA supporters, while now a majority within the GOP, remain a minority of the overall electorate." And issues like tariffs, the Iran War, and the non-release of the Epstein files have only exacerbated the growing divide between MAGA and non-MAGA coalitions. The report concludes, "Given the gaps in their attitudes, particularly where Trump is concerned, MAGA and non-MAGA Republicans seem almost to belong to different parties."
Once again, this music video paints a picture of what this growing, conservative, post-MAGA 'defectorate' may look like.
Here are some other articles that put forward a vision of what the post-MAGA Right may look like:
- The document that could define post-Trump conservatism (published June 11, 2026)
- Examines the viability of a new conservative populist document that seeks to yet again 'reclaim' American citizenship. Lowkey scary!
- What lies ahead for the Republican Party after Trump? (published May 29, 2026)
- Identifies three main factions: Trump loyalists, legacy Republicans, and Christian Nationalists, and suggests that the main conflict will be between MAGA and legacy Republicans. Gary Sasse writes, "Although Trump's administration stressed economic populism, cultural grievance and institutional distrust, it did not establish a governing philosophy. This enabled various MAGA supporters to focus on their priorities, and not necessarily the movement's."
- "According to More in Common's extensive research, less than 40 percent of Trump voters say being MAGA is important to their political identity. This suggests that the movement is centered around Trump's personality more than a comprehensive governing vision. Therefore, traditional conservative legacy Republicans have an opportunity to influence the direction of the post-Trump Republican Party. However, this will require that they are well-financed and organized to pursue their goals, and attract working-class Trump voters."
- MAGA's Dead. What's Next? (published April 20, 2026)
- This article is kinda tense and political theory heavy and also it greatly pissed me off. It is an incredibly articulate vision of post-MAGA conservatism though.
Armed with the knowledge of growing fractures in the current GOP, and competing visions for the future (Reality Awaits, remember?!), Jules seems to suggest his own vision- one where vaguely left-leaning points are co-opted by recent defectors in order to bolster their own ideologically empty platform. I think pundits like Tucker Carlson know exactly what they are doing when they finally, after 10+ years of spewing Trumpism, make their exit. It's not that the current GOP has radically shifted (it's just been riding on a wave of right-wing populism for a bit), but that figures like Carlson are simply hedging their bets, as any rational actor would. Although the GOP is now a majority MAGA party, as the Brookings data shows, there is still a large, growing, 'Independent' (or non-MAGA) coalition that lacks a unifying set of principles or values. This is where defectors like Carlson, and perhaps even Marjorie Taylor Greene, have the most opportunity. As I read in a TikTok comment section once, "Remember, they didn't change their minds, they're just agreeing with you."
Ok I'm off that soapbox now (mostly). Back to the video.
A little ways through the first chorus, a silent film-era title card graces our screen. "Let's take a look at the daily headlines!" it reads, as two new characters appear. I will name these guys Red Media Clown and Blue Media Clown. Real subtle, I guess.
What is real subtle though, is the delayed reaction that Goggins has to Julian after he stops dancing, showing confusion and disappointment in temporarily losing whatever kind of ideological game of 'Simon Says' he thinks he's playing. Brilliant acting choices here.
The chorus ends, and new character meanders in, seemingly representing "unchecked power" as the title cards imply. In an Instagram post I can no longer track down (#sad), I saw someone refer to Nikolai's character as the 'Union Buster'. These names seem interchangeable honestly, but I'll go ahead and refer to his character as Union Buster.
As Goggins continues to deliver hollow messages, ("expanding on our greatness, building future ruins...") Albert appears dressed as an explorer. To me, this demonstrates that Goggins is attempting to leverage the powerful forces of exploration, discovery, and curiosity. Jury is still out on if he'll be successful though.
When Julian begins to open an Amazon package, Albert appears on screen, delivering Goggins the treasures of his conquest. Al appears to be perturbed with Julian's Amazon package. It makes sense of course- why would Goggins need the spoils of Al's colonial venture if he could have just gotten the same thing from Amazon? Is there more dignity in more traditional forms of accumulation, even if we are all getting the same thing? Probably not, the video suggests.
The next major plot point ushered in by title cards is the delivery worker's strike, and the subsequent attempts of RMC and BMC to divert attention away from it. As the second chorus wraps up, and the guitar solo begins, Casablancas seems to pass the torch, or the guitar?? to Goggins, letting him jam this one out. Goggins plays and dances through the solo, while Casablancas indulgently opens his Amazon package. Perhaps Casablancas has finally given in, letting Goggins co-opt his narrative, or maybe they're all just high on whatever 100% natural blue bathroom cleaner they drank earlier. Either way, attitudes seem to shift during the break, as Julian seems to capitulate to his surroundings while Goggins becomes increasingly concerned by the chaos.
As the pre-chorus begins, Fab finally enters the frame, portraying a character (once again, I saw this in the Instagram post I can no longer find) called the 'Conductor'. I'm not totally sure how to apply that designation, but he brings Julian some shopping bags and a sense of joy, perhaps representing the mechanical upkeep of our current consumption and production habits.
The chaos continues, and once again, we get a shot of the serpent-like auditorium, but this time, with Nikolai the Union Buster lighting Al the Explorer's cig, and a title card saying, "Yes, Master." I think this might be one of the most important interactions in the whole video. All of these different forces, institutions, and ideologies interact with each other, but the quiet concession of unchecked power to forces of curiosity and exploration speaks volumes.
If there's any hope for a true 'winner' in our cast of capitalist commedia dell'arte characters, it's certainly Al as the Explorer. He delivers the song's second solo in front of the daylit auditorium, dressed in white. Perhaps genuine curiosity is our best response to fracturing political landscapes.
The next title card reads, "Oh glory! We've kicked them out!", and has a similar tone as the song's opening lyrics, which use vague descriptors to loosely designate enemies. The 'them' in question appears to be BMC, RMC, and Al the Explorer, who are tied up behind the rest of the dancing cast. But really, that title card could have been directed towards any of our characters.
After about 30 seconds of kicklines and other hijinks, Goggins sternly delivers a message directly to the audience: "If you're better than me you don't have to judge me." This lyric is kind of vague (better off economically? morally better?), but Goggins' delivery is not. He has clearly shed all joyful pretenses as he explains that your criticisms are only valid if your status trumps his.
The ending is quite blunt. But what's notable is that they are being murdered as performers, not as their characters. No specific force or ideology is spared.
My initial interpretation of this song had to do with disillusionment, and subsequent retreat. The video builds off of that interpretation, and illustrates how people (constituents and politicians alike) are "Going Shopping" for new viable ideologies in a soon to be post-MAGA era.
- - -
If you've read this far...
Here's a brief aside that didn't quite fit in. Consider it like an appendix or something idk this is a blog.
In a Guardian article attempting to explain the recent departure of Tucker Carlson from the GOP, author Geoffrey Kabaservice suggests that the ongoing Iran War and subsequent instability have exposed the inherent contradictions between the MAGA and 'America-first' coalitions that Trump initially campaigned to. He states, "Although Trump was long able to keep both factions in coalition, they represent different worldviews that correspond to different historical incarnations of American conservatism."
I think about these two groups -MAGA and America-first- as the two whole circles in a Venn diagram. Thanks to Trump's highly appealing messaging, they overlapped enough to get him in office. Fundamentally though, there are some ideological inconsistencies between these groups that are beginning to separate our Venn diagram, and therefore, Trump's electorate. The whole America-first thing began as a non-partisan movement against US entry into WWII that was explicitly isolationist (and also populist and nationalistic). Meanwhile, the 'A' in MAGA remained tactfully vague, unable to express what exactly we should be nostalgic for.
"But", Kabaservice explains, "when pushed [Trump] invokes, first, the period of American military and industrial expansion in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and second, the decades after the end of the second world war when baby boomers like Trump himself were born.
Trump's Maga supporters have expressed nostalgia for America's Gilded Age, when the country's booming industrial base was largely protected from foreign competition and tariffs were the primary source of revenue for the federal government. But the late 19th century also marked the onset of American imperialism, with the annexation of the Philippines after the Spanish-American war - an action applauded by Rudyard Kipling in his 1899 poem Take Up the White Man's Burden. Trump believes that a strong nation should dominate weaker ones and take whatever resources and territory it requires for its own greatness.
Trump's "Donroe Doctrine" echoes the 19th-century Monroe Doctrine's claim to US regional hegemony, and his siding with Russia against Ukraine harkens back to that era's belief that great powers could keep the peace by respecting each other's spheres of influence. Trump shares the America firsters' contempt for alliances and US global responsibilities. But Maga is not an isolationist creed, as Trump's actions in Venezuela and Iran have demonstrated.
"I never understood it," Carlson said of Maga in a recent podcast interview. "I think there was a strong latent desire in the hearts of a lot of Americans to improve the country... but it was imprecise by design." Trump's charismatic incoherence -and the restraining influence of his more traditionally Republican advisers during his first term- allowed him to paper over the contradictions between Maga and 'America first'."
Ok thats really it for now
