gatoprediction™ the coming election: cringe vs based, by el gato malo

If elections were honestly conducted, this next one might very well come down to cringe vs. based. That, however, won’t be the case. From el gato malo at boriquagato.substack.com:

but this is just the culture war, it will not decide the election

the incipient culture war seems increasingly to have locked into to a frame of “cringe vs based.” this seems a valid construction and one that is both instructive and predictive.

not everyone really understands these terms so let’s lay them out:

amusingly, the term “based” has its origins in rap. (from GROK AI)

Fast forward to the mid-2010s, rapper Lil B popularized a new meaning of the term “based” in his music and daily life. In a 2010 interview with Complex magazine, Lil B shared that “based” means being yourself and not being swayed by outside influence. This new interpretation of “based” became a term for authenticity, individuality, and not caring about what others think.

Since then, the term has been adopted by various online communities and subcultures, often used to express approval or admiration for someone’s courage, authenticity, or unique perspective. So, the next time you see someone use “based” in a conversation, you’ll know it’s a nod to Lil B’s legacy and the evolution of a slang term from the streets to the internet.

but humans are still more incisive expositors of these sorts of ideas. one of the better definitions i saw was this:

To be “based” is to self-express a word, deed, or idea that any individual playing status games would self-censor.

“I can’t say that; what would people think?! They might say I’m sexist/racist/etc. Think of the consequences!!”

To be based is to do or say it anyway.

To hold back, talk yourself out of it, or convince yourself that the opposite is ‘actually’ true… Well, that is the opposite of based.

That is cringe.

i very much agree with this semantic frame. it lays it out beautifully.

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