Opinion: TS12 criticism reveals misplaced priorities, allows Republican victories
The outpour of criticism and debate about Taylor Swift’s new album is misguided, our columnist writes. The out-of-touch response from some on the left would be better spent holding the government accountable, she writes. Sarah Yudichack | Contributing Illustrator
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On Oct. 3, Taylor Swift’s highly anticipated 12th studio album dropped with no small ripple left in its wake. Instantly, there was an outpour of both admiration and criticism on social media.
Everyone was eager to give input on Swift, but at some point, the discussion became forced efforts of mere regurgitation, and the evaluations fell flat. If we put this much energy toward pop stars instead of our fragmented government, the blame for our fallen democracy will be on no one but ourselves.
Anyone online when “The Life of a Showgirl” dropped knows conversation around the album was inescapable. Whether searing despise or obsessive adoration, Swift’s name was in everyone’s mouths, and the narratives quickly turned venomous.
One user on TikTok stated that the album was “spiritually Israeli,” a wildly insensitive and out-of-touch joke used simply because some didn’t like the record. With the current genocide in Palestine, this comment is deeply thoughtless and desensitizes us to the horrors overseas.
Multiple users also made videos accusing lyrics in Swift’s album like, “I just want you. Have a couple kids, got the whole block lookin’ like you,” of having racist and eugenic connotations. But there’s no evidence for this claim aside from Swift being a white woman with a white partner who desires to have children.
This level of flippancy discredits any real critiques of the album and society as a whole, disorganizing our priorities and making liberals look idiotic. People are beginning with the conclusions they want and aimlessly building falsehoods to support them.
These desperate efforts to conjure up microaggressions prove they were never really there at all. Our priorities will only continue to stray from more dire matters if we continue this fruitless pursuit of conviction.
No matter how many infographics you repost, actions speak louder than words. If leftists can become so easily divided over an album, made by a Democrat herself, it’s easy to see how we keep losing elections. The disorganization of the party is why we lost so many voters originally, and how we have arrived at this tempestuous place.
With division comes disenfranchisement and a lack of power. Our job isn’t to criticize people for not being liberal enough; it’s to accept all of the support we have and push against the fascism descending on our country. We don’t have the government stability to pick and choose whose “wokeness” we approve of. With the biggest pop star on the Democratic side, you would think we would be more supportive of her and more effectively critical of artists actually pushing problematic agendas.
While many bow to Trump’s plans, Zhoran Mamdani is one example of standing tall in countering opinions and headstrong campaigns. This radicalism is what’s winning over New York City. A consensus of ideologies and convictions consistently gives us a fighting chance against Republicans quickly taking over the government.
A united front is exactly what President Donald Trump and his conservative followers are scared of. It’s why he’s so openly belittled Mamdani. Republicans have consistently benefited from Democratic divisions, enabling them to override our votes.
While people must dig for reasons to twist Swift’s album into something oppressive, we’re living under a repressive regime that makes it clear where our actual opposition lies.
Immigrants are missing, horrifyingly erased from systems after Alligator Alcatraz was shut down. Our government has been shut down for three weeks now while the president continues saying there won’t be further elections, hinting at an autocracy.
We can’t put all of our energy toward a pop album because we mildly dislike Taylor Swift when there are more urgent matters within our own government.
Worrying more over celebrities than citizens, and pop culture than politics, is ridiculous and shows an extreme level of privilege. At a time of extreme turbulence in the United States, we can’t have our political debates crowded by music. If we could put even half of the energy into voting and protesting as we do on social media fandom wars, there could be real progress and change made.
Dayna Roberts is a junior majoring in creative writing. She can be reached at dbrobert@syr.edu.
