By KIM BELLARD
Until last week, I thought “brat” referred to an obnoxious child. I was vaguely aware of Charli XCX, but I wasn’t aware that earlier this summer she’d dropped a new album with that name. The cultural zeitgeist subsequently declared this to be Brat Summer. Then last weekend, Joe Biden dropped out of the Presidential race, Vice President Harris became the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, and Charli XCX tweeted “kamala IS brat.”
Vice President Harris’s campaign exploded. Most of us had been dreading the campaign between two eighty-year-old white guys, and suddenly we had a mixed heritage woman as a candidate, who at 59 seemed positively youthful by comparison. And brat to boot!
It’s been amusing to watch people like Stephen Colbert or Jake Tapper try to explain what “brat” means. Charli XCX described it on TikTok as:
That girl who is a little messy and likes to party, and maybe says dumb things sometimes, who feels herself but then also maybe has a breakdown but parties through it. It’s very honest; it’s very blunt—a little bit volatile, does dumb things, but, like, it’s brat. You’re brat. That’s brat.
“Brat” has been described as more than just a name. It’s a lifestyle of noughties excess, rave culture. It’s “a pack of cigs, a Bic lighter, a strappy white top with no bra.” It’s quintessentially cool. The essence of “brat” is being simultaneously provocative and vulnerable.
The Harris campaign embraced the “brat” label wholeheartedly, changing its campaign logo on social media to match the lime green of the Brat album cover. The KHive is busy creating memes, posting TikTok clips, and filling the world with coconut emojis.
Whether it’s the “brat effect” or a honeymoon period for Ms. Harris, her favorability and enthusiasm ratings have soared, and the Presidential race polls show a dead heat again, following President Biden’s disastrous debate performance earlier this month.
But is healthcare “brat”? It’s certainly not brat to sit in a doctor’s waiting room, deal with confusing medical bills, or struggle to afford medications. The healthcare system is far from exciting or delightful. It needs to evolve and innovate to become more efficient and patient-friendly.
AI in healthcare, 3D printing of organs, nanorobots, genetic therapy, and neural implants all hold promise to revolutionize healthcare and make it “brat.” However, we must ensure that these technologies are accessible and affordable for all.
Our current healthcare system is outdated and fails to meet the needs of the majority of Americans. It’s time for a change, for a healthcare system that generates enthusiasm and trust, that people can rely on and celebrate. That would be truly “brat.”
Kim is a former emarketing exec at a major Blues plan, editor of the late & lamented Tincture.io, and now regular THCB contributor
