Cheers To The Haters: 5 Common Misconceptions Of Taylor Swift
There is (once again) another tasteless attack on Taylor Swift.
While the pop sensation might be sleeping on an array of awards in her multi-million dollar penthouse, that level of success does not come without its fair shares of downfalls.
In the wake of her successful album, 1989, Taylor Swift is faced with an equal amount of both hatred and praise.
While some of the criticism isn't completely unwarranted (not even our beloved idols are above examination), there is a huge gap between constructive remarks and petty hate.
For example, stating Taylor Swift has failed to use her position to elevate the voices of black performers is fair and true.
Let's call it what it is: Taylor Swift has become a global phenomenon, and that level of fame does not come without retribution.
Most of us are not blind; we know much of Taylor's presence is fabricated by PR agents and the press. We accept the sad reality that most of us will never know Taylor in person, or see what she is like on a regular basis.
But we're also not blind to the influence that she has on entertainment, music and people around the world.
Whether you personally like Taylor Swift or not, it's a fair assumption to say the girl gets more than her fair share of hate from anonymous trollers hiding behind the safety of their screens.
But how much of that dislike stems from a genuine place of discomfort, and how much of it is a result of jealousy and unfounded hatred?
As such an elevated figure, Taylor is an easy target for anyone. Whether or not the intensity of hatred actually upsets her, only she knows.
But for everyone else examining, it makes for an interesting study on how quickly people have come to bash Taylor without fact-checking their statements.
As a proud Swiftie, I felt compelled to write yet another list about the common misconceptions that the haters of Taylor Swift tend to use.
Just in case anyone's forgotten about her.
1. Taylor Swift writes songs that are relevant to her life.
I remember when Taylor Swift came into the spotlight. Or rather, I remember the flood of attacks that came her way the moment her self-titled album,Taylor Swift, was released.
Reviewers, media circuits and strangers around the globe were quick to label her as another whiny female, singing about some boy who broke her heart.
Endless jokes were made about Taylor, including a famous roast by Amy Poehler and Tina Fey. As beloved as she is now, there was still a time when her name was enough to make a punchline.
But here's the thing: She's not the only artist to sing about heartbreak.
She uses her experiences to shape her music, just like Maroon 5, Ed Sheeran and the countless other musicians who crow on and on about bad breakups.
But no one is telling Ed Sheeran to stop performing because all of his songs are repetitive.
If you don't like Taylor's music, don't listen to it. But to claim that no one likes her music is to ignore the giant sells her albums have made worldwide.
Whether you are a fan of her songs or not, Taylor has constantly broken records again and again, with the same "overused" songs she's poured her heart into.
2. Taylor Swift and her friends are not your “Mean Girls.”
During the recent promotion of her music video, "Bad Blood," there's been a lot of talk about how Taylor Swift and her friends are the new, real-life version of "Mean Girls."
However, those critics fail to take this into account: They're not stepping down on others to promote themselves.
Unlike the actual mean girls in the film, Taylor and her squad all lead separate lives.
Unlike the actual mean girls of the film, Taylor has no qualms with sharing ex-boyfriends with her friends.
Very much unlike the actual mean girls of the film, Taylor can be found supporting her friends in their own lives.
Critics are quick to blast Taylor for being in the center of all the pictures, but they forget the moments when Taylor showed support for her friends without even putting herself in the picture.
(For example, when she Instagrammed a picture of Zendaya's graduation.)
In the end, famous people have famous friends.
One Direction, Kendall Jenner, Justin Bieber and almost every celebrity in existence are good friends with each other.
Taylor is by far the last person to be seen with celebrated figures, and it is far less of a crime than people would have you believe.
3. Taylor Swift is a successful businesswoman.
As the recipient of multiple Grammy awards and record-shattering sales, I would sure as hell hope that Taylor Swift knows how to navigate the industry by now.
She gets a lot of flack for being a self-promotional businesswoman. But so what?
It's her profession to sell herself, her products and her work. We can easily assume Taylor Swift isn't stupid nor ignorant about the influence she has.
When she brings out a guest performer, she is aware she's making another headline. Her image has been carefully constructed after years of being in the spotlight.
But when did that become an offense? She's good at what she does.
There’s this unfair assumption that she can’t be a good person and a celebrated businesswoman at the same time.
Furthermore, almost everyone who has actually interacted with Taylor has given her glowing praise regarding her personality.
It’s not the most unheard of thing to believe that deep down, she could be a good person whileknowing how to promote her work.
As far as I'm concerned, Taylor can be my agent any time she likes.
4. Taylor Swift owns up to her mistakes.
Question: When was the last time you heard Eminem apologize for building his entire career on violent, misogynistic lyrics?
Taylor Swift doesn't to apologize to anyone. She's rich and famous enough to get away with anything even remotely offensive. (Isn't that right, Miley Cyrus?)
I respect Taylor for admitting that "Better Than Revenge" came from a place of misunderstanding (and she hasn't performed the song since).
I respect Taylor for acknowledging that she didn't know what feminism entailed. I respect Taylor for apologizing to Nicki Minaj publicly; whereas many other celebrities would've defended themselves or brushed off the whole thing completely.
All of this, whether crafted by her agents or acts of genuine kindness, humanizes Taylor for me.
She's not flawless and she's not a saint, but she does what very few are willing to do: apologize.
5. Taylor Swift is unapologetically emotional and optimistic.
At the end of the day, it's not her Instagram pictures or even her music that makes me (and millions of other people) so fond of Taylor Swift.
It's her general persona, right down to the goofy way she dances at award shows and the layers of emotions she refuses to hide.
In the years she's been in the spotlight, Taylor has never fled from embracing her feelings. Whether she's expressing it in song or being the furthest thing from aloof in interviews, Taylor Swift doesn't try to play the cool game.
She's a dork, she's easily excited and she loves her cats more than most of us love our siblings.
In spite of all the sad breakup songs, Taylor Swift is optimistic 1989 was revolutionary in the sense that she doesn't succumb to heartbreak and failure.
Instead, she advocates smiling in the face of adversity and opening yourself back up to happiness.
When you're waking up in the morning, about to face another day, it's not your Fall Out Boy albums that you should be reaching for.
Instead, put on "New Romantics," and ask yourself this: What would Taylor Swift do?
The truth is, Taylor Swift is probably overrated. You can't go a day without hearing her name.
This is unlikely the first or last article you'll read about Taylor today.
You are entitled to that opinion, and no one has the right to take it away from you.
But the next time you're itching to craft a tweet about how Taylor Swift is the worst person to grace the face of this planet, think if your criticism is
truly constructive, or if it's just another bored commentary in the wake of Taylor's success.
If it's the latter, we have a bigger issue than Miss Swift.
PS: Taylor, if you're reading this, I am available to cat-sit anytime you need. Seriously, anytime.
