THE GIRLBOSSIFICATION OF TAYLOR SWIFT.

hi y'all!! r u ready to discuss Taylor Swift, Girlboss? hope you liked this one...it's a little bit different from my other videos and a bit all over the place but if you like this more in depth kind of analysis type videos lmk. leave a comment and let me know your feedback~ also ring the bell pls so you can get notifications xoxo
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[@pickledcucumber8693]

You’re literally the smartest Swiftie ever like how do you know and articulate all this omg

[@meghansullivan6812]

I KNOWWWWW right

[@grielauryn]

YEAH fr

[@lisamachado1508]

He's the absolute best and does it so effortlessly! Spot on again. You're a natural Zach!

[@thedreamerrrrrrrr]

Zachary deserves a honorary doctorate degree in Swiftology just for this analysis alone, who's with me

[@betty_taylor13]

Such a well balanced analysis. I must admit, as much as I love Taylor, her hyper focus on revenge has made her unrelatable to me at times. You raise a good point about how ways she has acted when she was younger aren't seen as appropriate anymore. It will be interesting to see how she matures & how long-time Swifties respond.

[@maryann2970]

I think at her core, intolerance for perceived slights is just who she is. However, I think she's a smart businesswoman and realizes it's a bad look and so will stop putting these sorts of songs out and just generally do less press. This will hide the problem since it's one that cannot be fixed.

[@soulfireonfire6423]

Does anyone or any celebrity act like they did when they were 16,18,19 even 20 ? No ! Did The Rolling Stones act the same in the late 80’s early 90’s them on 1978, early 80’s . No they didn’t! Did Elton John no he didn’t! The thing is Taylor Swift is not the first or the last person to sing about breakups! Carly Simons You So Vane is about break ups!!! What I don’t get is why at 33 years old people have to go back and rehash and continually bring up no matter what is going on with this woman, things she did when she was 16, 19, 21 ! When you or I or anyone for that matter, go out or are with whoever on your normal day, are you called out for shxt you did when you were 16,17,21? I’m not !! But every time something with Taylor Swift is happening, they rerun her entire life . It’s like everyone is calling her out on it but those same people won’t let her get away from it either! She can’t win for losing ! No matter what the hxll she does, people have shxt to say about it! And while they are commenting on the shxt she’s doing, that was originally perpetuated because people were commenting on the shxt she did, or should do, they are again bringing up the shxt she did when she was 19 in order to commebt what she’s trying to change ! It’s absurd!!’

[@xanderx2523]

​@@soulfireonfire6423 the reason that people are fixated on her younger self is because she didn't really learn from it. She is the same person she just hides it better than before. Did you even watch the video? Instead of learning from past mistakes she became better at hiding the same mistakes. Thats the reason people make long ass videos about her past because you can apply it to her present and future. I am not a Taylor hater I actually enjoy her songs but I agree with this video 100%.

[@jewdea]

@@MoMo-rx4zrwhat a cringy comment yikes

[@lordfreerealestate8302]

I think she has a big problem with not taking criticism well and often viewing herself as the victim in situations where she isn't. Her jet lawsuit, for instance, trying to sue the guy into silence for pointing out she pollutes. She hasn't apologized for anything much. She does not really learn from her mistakes, like her white feminism. As someone pointed out, she seems on the same level of inner growth now in her 30s as she was as a teen.

[@emilee7021]

this is a really well done video. i’ve been a swiftie since debut and i love taylor more than any other celebrity, but it’s bothered me for YEARS how taylor has effectively kimye’d so many other people and how she’s too blind to view it that way. any time she calls out someone for wronging her, she turns a blind eye when her millions of vicious insane fans go and attack that person. like, jake and her dated and broke up ten years ago yet people were quick to jump on the hate train again last year. they would’ve done it to joe jonas too probably if they weren’t on good terms now. she doesn’t take into consideration that the very thing that nearly broke her in 2016 is the same thing she allows her fans to do to other people. i just wish she had someone in her life to shake her and tell her that she really does play the victim, even in situations where the conflict wasn’t necessarily one-sided. and i also think 90% of swifties could also use a good shaking too because they are always way too quick to take her side on EVERYTHING. she’s a person who has grown up in the spotlight. she is bound to make mistakes from time to time, but she will never, ever grow from those mistakes without people who are willing to hold her accountable. it’s all just very exhausting to me and i wish i would’ve found your account sooner because sometimes i feel a little crazy

[@KateCat420]

The amount of people (cult-esq fans) who have sent death threats on her supposed behalf is beyond concerning 😢

[@mcnoneya]

What’s interesting to me, is that her “bff” Selena actively tries to get her fans NOT to bully others. Whrn her fans start hating and sending threats to other people, Selena speaks up. It doesn’t matter who it is. She calls her fans out on the bullying, Taylor doesn’t.

[@Hiii-p5w]

Man youre so brainwashed That leaked snippet showed her actual intentions. That btch wants to make friends with everyone imp in music tv etc. Tell me any friend she has which is a normal person no one shes still friendless n petty everyone like selena or blake also understand the game but theyre not friend even kelce is there for fame n shes there to get noticed by boys watching the games after knowing all fanbase 5yr old dumb girls She forgave ye to make friends n collectively fool public n audience But not everyone liked the deal n when she was exposed she did the same but alone

[@cheesecakelasagna]

​@@mcnoneya Main difference is Selena didn't grow up rich. She has perspective from the get-go.

[@mcnoneya]

@@cheesecakelasagna how does that affect bullying? Not trying to be rude just asking( somethings no matter how you write them they LOOK like it’s meant to be rude😬🤷🏻‍♀️) Taylor was bullied in high school - so she says I PERSONALLY have not heard anything confirming or denying this. So 🤷🏻‍♀️.. yea. I feel like Taylor grew up in what USED to be middle class, not exactly rich but not poor, had enough food on the table and roof over head without having to be TOO worried and parents were just financially savvy as her dad was a broker and had education on money management plus they probably had money leftover to enjoy some things with, nothing too much though( this is a lot of assumption based on what I’ve heard). Selena’s mom was a teen mom raising her kid, on her own, she started ot from scratch, no college degree, not even high school degree yet, so there’s definitely a difference in where the parents started out. I wouldn’t say Taylors family was rich but Selena’s mom was definitely poor.

[@marissaemily8452]

Watching again, for background noise at work and all I can think of is “mom‘s my therapist” there’s a reason therapy is good- there’s NO bias (if they do their jobs right). EVERYONE can benefit from therapy, and I have this feeling that her mom being her therapist is more just a supportive shoulder/ear. I could be very wrong cuz I don’t know her but I can also can’t see Andrea turning around and saying “girl, your feelings are real/valid but you fucked up too”. She reminds me of my mom, who likes to shelter/sheltered me a bit more than I needed to be, both lovely and love their daughters to bits, but much less likely to give you the objective hard truth (in a kind way) when it’s need to grow/reflect. Support from family/friends is amazing, but it’s not the same as therapy.

[@lordfreerealestate8302]

Taylor grew up the child of two billionaires, her father is the one who purchased major stock in the label that signed her and facilitated her career. She went to a fancy private school. In many ways, she was sheltered and overindulged, which may shape the way she views criticism (even valid). She's lived in a bubble since she was a child. Rich parents are notorious for coddling their children, after all.

[@johannailes3712]

@@lordfreerealestate8302are you sure all ur statements are true

[@mcnoneya]

Her dad try to warn her about speaking about politics in the Miss Americana doc, so she does seem to get some pushback, she just didn’t listen.

[@CarlyonProduction]

Wow, a swiftie that is balanced and gives a realistic view of her career. This is a great video. Also love the plants!

[@mcnoneya]

Right? She’s not God. She does foolish things, makes mistakes and can be mean, I read that she didn’t like the word “calculated” because of that article so I just say she’s “strategic” it’s basically the same thing, but it’s true. She’s smart and thinks 10 moves ahead, her dad was a broker, ergo he’s very smart and she probably learned some lessons on business from him. Most singers last 4.. maybe 5 yrs before they fade out of popularity she’s lasted 10+ yrs. You can’t last that long without being a little strategic, it’s just called being smart and knowing how to work the system.

[@Julia-301]

I’m glad you spoke up about how Taylor seemed to put dawn stars like Britney. That’s a major reason I didn’t like Taylor in her early years. I like her now but it’s very true that Britney and other stars did not have privileged upbringings like Taylor.

[@npats550]

"Wokeness is a losing game". That's about one of the most genuine and concise evaluations, I have heard.

[@mcnoneya]

Can you explain what that means, I was very confused when he said that.

[@pickledcucumber8693]

I know taylor wants to be seen as a feminist and an activist and actually does stand up for things such as gay rights, I don’t think she truly understands the extent of misogyny, homophobia, racism, etc. that goes on in the world and I don’t like how things that literally ruins lives are used in a single line like “cuz shade never made anybody less gay”

[@pyro-0438]

I agree! A lot of her stances feel very surface level

[@loganr7108]

she is kind of a white feminist 😬

[@u-x-m-a]

@@loganr7108 what does white feminist means?

[@loganr7108]

@@u-x-m-a it’s basically just someone who only cares about things that affect them

[@u-x-m-a]

@@loganr7108 can a black person be white feminist?

[@CarlyonProduction]

Also really agree with your closing statement. So many KZbin commentators want celebrities to be woke activists. They want them to speak up (and say the right thing) on every issue. I think we need to do away with this idea. We need to view celebrities as flawed humans who are lucky to have the position they do. They are there to entertain us. The end.

[@maggiemeyers3998]

Sir this is a freaking dissertation and I salute you for it. I love Taylor’s music but can’t STAND when Swifties act like she is above all criticism. The fact that she thought Miss Americana would endear her to the public just underscores how clueless she really is about politics, privilege, and in general most things that don’t pertain to her personally. Thanks for another amazing video, bestie…can’t wait to hear your thoughts about Red (Taylor’s Version)! ❤️

[@CarlyonProduction]

It’s not healthy to completely erase someone’s problematic side. It’s unhealthy when we view humans as anything other than flawed, works in progress.

[@cassandraaeh]

As someone who moved around a lot as a kid, I have a very similar accent on/accent off thing. I don’t even think about it most of the time, because it’s an assimilation thing. If you’re the new kid in a room and literally everything about you is Other, but you can make yourself sound even a little bit more like everyone else, they’re a lot more likely to accept you (and likely to do so a lot faster than they would otherwise). I think that was part of Taylor’s thing when they went from PA to Nashville. Country voice for the wannabe country recording artist. And once you’re in the club, you don’t have to worry about it anymore.

[@cathymiller9342]

You raise some excellent points and tbh I’m conflicted about whether it’s a good idea for her to speak out politically. She has such a large, young, fan base (people who tend not to vote) so I understand why she would feel like it’s her moral imperative to speak about important political issues. We’re in such a total mess right now, too. I will say most recently when she tweeted about the Dobbs decision she kept it clear and concise and retweeted Michelle Obama’s statement. But yes, she is also rich&white and is completely out of touch with the average person’s experiences. Maybe if she owned that more while trying to do what good she can? Love your channel.

[@PandoraStolen]

It's one thing to encourage people to get involved and to vote. It's another thing to tell them how to get involved and how to vote.

[@cathymiller9342]

@@PandoraStolen Musicians have a long history of spouting their politics. Their fans can choose to do with that information what they will. It’s still a free country.

[@soulfireonfire6423]

People in the music industry are co tolled by that people on the 3rd floor. We need to stop acting like they have a choice most of the time ! They don’t!!!!

[@sagelabyrinth8780]

I really had a hard time when people criticized taylor swift before. I used to get so defensive about it but after watching your videos, I'm very comfortable in loving and appreciating her for who she really is. Thank you so much 💓

[@lisamachado1508]

well said

[@popcultureperspectives164]

I enjoyed this analysis. It's almost like a challenge in how many ways can you point out narcissistic traits without saying "narcissist". Black & white thinking. Vindictive. Gaslighting (fake country accent). Her against the world... the world is out to get her... the world is all about her. Emotional immaturity & having no empathy for peers.. These and so many more mentioned are the absolute definition of narcissism. And i think a good subject for analysis and conversation. Taylor did have a privilegef upbringing which can lead toward narcissism, but not only that... her parents went above and beyond to support making her dreams come true. They moved from Pennsylvania to Nashville for her. So, this does kinda teach a child that they're the center of the world & the world moves for them. But Taylor is unique with her narcissism, because she is incredibly thoughtful & also somewhat self-aware (true self-awareness tends to lend more toward compassion & empathy rather than vindictiveness). Very interesting subject. Well done!

[@Maryb-j5k]

Zach, I’m now going back down through all your videos and this one I think is one of your best! Wow! The analysis, the commentary, the thinking behind this video! Just wow! You are extremely intelligent, aware of social trends and such an amazing narrator! 🏆 🥇 👏🏻 really enjoyed this one! 😍🙏🏻

[@PM-pt2xf]

Wow! This was very well made! Thank you for making this concise and easy to understand!! One of my fav videos so far :)

[@theswiftologist]

I'm so glad you liked it!!!

[@Wizard608]

Also, I think another factor why Taylor's dating life gets too much attention is because a lot of her exes and significant others are actually famous.

[@cynthiapost147]

Brilliant as usual. You are so gifted - it's such a pleasure listening to you! As a very new fan I have been watching her very early tour footage against her Eras Tour-- very, very interesting! She does so many of the exact same expressions and chats with the audience, etc. All this is so much fun-- and your analysis helps me see things differently.

[@meridith7137]

Honestly (and I will preface this by saying I love Taylor with my whole heart and will literally defend her until I die) I feel that most of this boils down to a twofold problem of Taylor being defensive in the face of criticism, and needing to control the narrative around her but it spiralling in a way she did not anticipate. This is easily observable in the whole marketing of writing about her personal relationships, which at the start was her owning and validating her emotions and experiences in a very personal and sometimes indignant way. But when it became accessible to the world beyond just her fans finding the secret messages in her album booklet it obviously turned into this whole watch out bro she'll write a song about you schtick that I think even she will admit she did not handle very well at times, even if she was right to be mad about it, because she just didn't anticipate it (see Amy Poehler / Ginny and Georgia shitshow). She also wanted to be a good role model and I genuienly think she just wasn't that rebellious when she was younger so she was like 'I'll want to do the Good Girl thing!' and then it became ridiculous to the point that she was mid twenties and her drinking a beer with Karlie Kloss was literal scandalous news. In a similar way, I feel like the politics / feminism / You Need To Calm Down stuff comes across as her after the fact overcompensation for how she had been quiet about those things in her early career because she didn't have as big a platform / didn't know what to say / was advised not to / whatever other reasons and then the narrative about her spiralling out of control re 'she's a homophobic trump supporter who hates other women!!!' and she was like NO! HOW DARE YOU! SEE MY GIRL SQUAD OF LITERALLY ANY WOMAN WHO HAS EVER BEEN VAGUELY NICE TO ME!! ONLY THE YOUNG, A SONG SO TERRIBLE AND HAMFISTED ITS ALMOST UNLISTENABLE!!! BEING GAY IS HARD BUT PEOPLE ARE MEAN TO ME ON THE INTERNET AND THAT IS COMPARABLE!!! GIRLBOSS!!! and it was just came across as cringey and insincere, even though like you said I do really believe she does care about all of these things and wants equal rights and happiness for everybody. I do disagree though in terms of the fact that I think to a certain extent Taylor should speak on these issues because of the massive platform she has and the basic human rights issues that can be at stake politically, but take a very different approach eg: a social media post for an election cycle outlining who she is voting for and why and just leaving it at that. It's so hard though, because at this point literally anything divisive she does will be picked apart and taken out of context, and obviously I want her to speak about things freely but oh my god is it painful when she misses the mark. Theres also the whole separate issue of the raging racism and homophobia within the Swiftie community that she should have made clear from the start would not be tolerated but lets not even get into that. Anyway this was an essay I'm sorry but I loved this vid and as you can see I have A Lot Of Thoughts.

[@elenagerhardy2636]

I enjoyed your essay, ty 😂 I have a theory, and I’m interested in your opinion. ‘The Man’ and YNTCD would have both been much bigger hits had they been singles on 1989 rather than Lover. They would have been the feminist and LGBT anthems she wanted (and expected) them to be. Hear me out. I admit that the arguments Taylor makes in The Man are only valid to a point. Where she loses me is the chorus, where she makes a confused case for how she’d be further along in her career were she a man. I don’t think this is something she can reasonably argue, given that, arguably, she would not have taken off the way she did were she a man. She made her start in the male dominated country genre, and managed to stand out because she was literally the only young woman. She continued to stand out with intense emotional vulnerability in her lyrics, which is palatable to audiences from a woman, because women are stereotypically emotional. Don’t get me wrong, I think if Taylor Swift were a man, I think he would still be a successful recording artist. I just don’t think he’d be as successful as her. However, a lot of the other arguments she makes in the man are cutting and very true. They remind me of the interviews where she called out the sexism of critique around writing breakup songs, when no one says the same of Bruno Mars or Ed Sheeran. We can infer from the Miss Americana doco that she wanted to put out a song like The Man for a long time, but didn’t feel comfortable doing so during the 1989 era, when she was only just getting comfortable with using the word ‘feminist’. I think the main reason The Man didn’t land was the timing. Had it been released in 2014/15 (pre #metoo; 2017), almost all the arguments she made would have been hot takes. It would have captured some of the shock value that ‘If I Were a Boy’ (2008) garnered. By the time Taylor released The Man in 2019, no one really cared about hearing about feminism from a rich white lady anymore, and we definitely didn’t care about double standards, which had been raked over to death by that point. It might not have done as well as Blank Space, a superior song, but The Man would have supported Blank Space for a more complete story of where Taylor was actually coming from. I feel similarly about YNTCD. There’s nothing especially wrong with the lyrics. The gayest thing about that song is the video clip. The main issue is timing. Were Taylor to have released a song and video like this in 2014 (before same sex marriage was legalised across the USA in 2015), I feel her advocacy would have been far more welcome to the LGBT community (and of course, subject to more criticism from conservatives). Again, I think she would have liked to make her stance on gay rights clearer earlier in her career, and I feel sad that she felt she had to wait as long as she did, to the point where her advocacy was not only somewhat unnecessary, but unwanted.

[@nuramalina5962]

i love youuu you are able to succintly and accurately analyse taylor swift without being shady or mean! i love taylor forever, but she has definitely made mistakes in the past and it's inevitable being that no one is perfect in this world. i still will continue to love and support her forever but analyses like yours are so exciting to watch because it encapsulates every idea of her i've had (being that i'm almost to your level of reading and watching everything she does). taylor swift is definitely a personality to reckon with and that's why out of any celebrities i only have consistently cared about what she's up to since my childhoold to adulthood

[@Marxnchill]

Yassssssss. I’m a decade long Swiftie and I completely agree with you. So refreshing to hear someone educated and with critical thinking skills analyze Taylor. Sometimes I feel so alone when it comes to Taylor. My friends are all very much “too cool” and don’t want to hear it nor would they know what I was even talking about lol. Thank you for these videos.

[@liz.a314]

absolutely love this! my current love for taylor is actually around the parts and moments of her life where she had to fall from her high horse. ironically i think we might be entering a similar era with the rerecordings but we shall see. the most interesting humans are the ones that know life is always cyclical in nature and cant be narrowed down to black/white , good/bad tales

[@lilaboxx]

I think celebrities can speak out on issues but they shouldn't be expected to be because that creates that pressure that everyone will say something about everything and the real message gets lost. That doesn't mean that they should never ever speak up but maybe they shouldn't focus on "what can I say?" And more on " who can I give my very big spotlight to so they can say something they're well educated in"

[@emilyonizuka4698]

it's so interesting how woke has taken on a whole new meaning outside of black spaces. I'm not black myself either, but when I used to hear it used by black people it meant to remain aware (stay woke). but it's somehow turned into like a "leftist political snowflake" thing.

[@catarinaalvarez4144]

loved this video! i love a good deep-dive analysis, and your knowledge of taylor is truly the best for this kind of stuff. the interview quotes were super illuminating. big agree on the thought that celebs should just be court jesters!! i turn to them for entertainment only; they're the most out of touch people in the world. idk why everyone is desperate for them to be activists. taylor's girlbossery definitely taints Lover/the Lover era for me - it just comes off as pandering... as if the Lover album needed more flop elements smh. Also how dare you remind me of the Ginny and Georgia tweet!! Just when I had forgotten it!! that shit will haunt me forever. happy women's history month i guess 💔

[@theswiftologist]

HAPPY WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH I GUESS....

[@elenagerhardy2636]

Rip me. I died, dead. 💀

[@elenagerhardy2636]

Love your analysis! This channel is such a gem 😘

[@theswiftologist]

glad you liked it

[@livp9056]

Brilliant analysis!! 👏🏼👏🏼 see how you can be a swiftie and while also calling out her flaws!

[@hhr7271]

I have never understood the constant victimisation of Taylor Swift. She is a straight white girl in America, coming from an extremely rich family. Sure she had a fair share of heart breaks, but she is not anywhere near the victim she makes herself to be. There I said it, and delusional swifties can come and defend her. You can be a fan of her music, but can't deny that she is hides her extreme privilege behind her heartbreaks.

[@liste302]

swifties were not victimizing her bc of the heartbreaks LOL they victimized her bc she experienced severe cyber bullying when the "taylorswiftisoverparty" trended bc Kim and Kanye literally lied

[@AmetafJohora]

agreed

[@kb-dc5hf]

Kind of agree but she has also been the target of many of the public's hate because of her music or has been taken advantage of(Kanye,news agencies,media,'snake' incident)

[@fuckoff_loserr]

@@martasorangeberry yes agreed

[@AnaLu07]

She doesn't make herself a victim

[@Doorto_theriver]

This is an incredible video. Your research and articulation is flawless. So enjoyable to watch/listen

[@elenagerhardy2636]

Your eyes look really nice in this video. They remind me a bit of Taylor’s.

[@theswiftologist]

BEST COMPLIMENT EVER.

[@CarlyonProduction]

Bright blue! They are very striking in this video.

[@the3rdquark]

Love the video essay style!! My only disagreement is that I don’t think that Taylor is that great at understanding the cultural moment or capitalizing on trends? When she’s tried to do that (The Man, YNTCD, Only the Young - I guess the whole Lover era), she’s mainly misfired. Her biggest moments have come when she’s bucking trends and doing something unexpected. IMO, it’s not because she has analyzed the culture and cleverly identified a way to stand out, but instead because she legitimately has no idea what’s going on, which allows her to do her own thing. And I’m very glad about that, because that’s what makes her the most exciting artist of our times.

[@catarinaalvarez4144]

omg you brought up a really great point. i hadn't thought of it like that! i think taylor used to be more savvy when she was young - like with the vlogs she did on the speak now tour, i think that was really capitalizing on the growing trend of vlogging and whatnot. but she's definitely lost that touch as she's gotten older (see: the Lover era misfires). as you said, though, that lack of savvy-ness works in her favor so long as she's not trying to conform!! i'm really glad that it seems she's moving away from trying to be trendy and just doing whatever she wants :)

[@theswiftologist]

yeah I take your point there about her originality, but she certainly does trend hop a lot at the same time! dubstep with ikywt, and basically all of reputation...........

[@the3rdquark]

@@catarinaalvarez4144 that’s a really good point, I agree! I think the critical thing is that she started those when vlogging/KZbin wasn’t yet completely mainstream, it was still a sort of nerdy subculture, even though it was on the brink of breaking through. I believe it when Taylor says that growing up she was a somewhat unpopular, nerdy kid - she understood THAT culture and experience really well, which is part of why she was so relatable. Since she was catapulted into the “cool girl” role (1989, but arguably earlier), she hasn’t really understood what to do.

[@the3rdquark]

@@theswiftologist oh yeah, definitely agree when it comes to music, she knows exactly what’s going on - she sounds on-trend, but also sets the trend (and collaborating with Max Martin etc. helped with that). Suggestion if you want a video idea, I really want to hear more about your thoughts on the reputation era!

[@elenagerhardy2636]

@@the3rdquark did you watch the video ‘unpopular opinions part 2’? Zach covers some of his thoughts on rep there.

[@ireneesperante8137]

So on point! I love Taylor but also understand that she’s got a bit of a victim narrative sometimes! Glad to find other swifties that are capable of having a critical eye! ❤️

[@theswiftologist]

thanks for watching

[@foodhound472]

@@theswiftologist I have discovered Taylor Swift and everything about her beyond the song shake it off after the release of Anti-hero. I am from India. Beyonce is the only mainstream artists I've kinda sort of followed. I listen to old rnb, jazz, indie artists, Peter Gabrielle, Kate Bush, Glen Hansard etc. I was intrigued about her music and then her after midnights and caught up with the rest of her career. Here is the thing. I do not know of any mainstream artist lesser problematic than Swift. All of them have done boatloads of shady ass things and go on strong, without even acknowledging that those things happened. If taylor Swift feels offended by a sexist joke she very well should speak up about it. The writers of the show wanted that controversy that's the only reason that joke existed. It has no place in the universe of a current woke intellectual teenager. It makes zero sense from writing perspective. And if her not speaking up sooner and overcompensating for her political silence, and standing up for herself, and having a group girlfriends is the biggest problem you have with her, she is a solid stand up woman. Nobody needs an unnecessary tear down of an ally. Who practically does nothing wrong and problematic. It's beyond me that people criticized her for being in control of her narrative, or writing about her exes, and supported a man who literally made a sexually charged video and song about her without her permission. It boggles my mind that people would rather support Kardashian and family and criticize Swift for even littlest reasons. Swift is a global icon her songs like Man, Calm Down, are hugely celebrated by people internationally, Americans reek of privilege when they try to tear them down. And though it has only been a month since I have known taylor, I still need to find someone explaining what was objectively done by the girl squad that was wrong? How did she gatekeep? In an industry full of nepotism? I have discovered that people want to find reasons to criticize her cause the size of her success with no problematic past or big scandal makes them uncomfortable. And a big woman with big success, in control of her narrative and life, not taking missteps really doesn't sit well with USA. America is still even in its liberal community deeply sexist. It's so innate and so profoundly internalized that they don't even realise its existence. But from afar it's visible.

[@liz.a314]

ok just finished - huge fan of this segment - pls do more of tswift / culture based university also YES first half of americana is great until she stops talking about herself

[@jillsarah7356]

I agree that celebrities are the most out of touch but I don’t agree that the answer is to keep their mouths shut. They should work on getting in touch and use their platforms accordingly! I completely get your points about the Lover era and mostly agree but it’s also true that Taylor speaking out about young people registering to vote and voting made a HUGE positive impact bc so many people registered to vote.

[@lawrencebriggs6223]

I love Taylor in every fibre of my being. But there is no denying, she is flawed.

[@soulfireonfire6423]

Like everyone on this earth. She has admitted she has flaws! Plus no one knows her as a person with her own thoughts when she’s not performing , home alone living her life! That is why people should mind their own business!

[@mcnoneya]

Though I don’t agree with some of your statements, I appreciate that you aren’t a blind “she is the epitome of perfection, she never does anything wrong” kinda fan. At the end of the day, she’s human.

[@wellbrock]

This was amazing, especially towards the end. Thanks!

[@English3Muffin]

This was a very interesting and thought provoking video essay. I feel like you really can’t win as a celebrity when it comes to wokeness or politics. There will always be people who want someone to come out for or against something, and there will always be people on the other end telling them to shut up and just entertain us. I think social media is too pervasive for some celebrities to not speak their mind, and I don’t mind it. They have a platform and also they are human beings with thoughts and feelings and if they want to talk about something outside of their work, they should. But that will always come from backlash from somewhere and they have to weigh that. As far as the “not like other girls” era, it just seriously sucked being female at that time. I definitely did my share of it growing up, and it very largely influenced why I didn’t dive more fully into Taylor’s work until my 30s because of the inner misogyny of “she’s girly and just writes about boys.” Overall, I respect people who want politics off the table with their entertainers, but I disagree and people are welcome to not pay attention to it.

[@kidawesomeness123]

to me, it sets a dangerous precedent expecting/ demanding celebrities of all people to speak on politics. celebrities are a small percentage of the population. Rich and isolated amongst themselves, why would they be the people that the public should listen to on issues that dont even effect them . People should focus more on those who are actually effected, not being spoon fed by people that arent actually experiencing it.

[@English3Muffin]

@@kidawesomeness123 I agree. It’s one thing if a celebrity is already passionate about a cause and wants to use their platform to elevate it, but it’s quite another to ask someone to become an activist simply for the power and influence they have. For one, if it’s not coming from an authentic place, no one wins, and for two, absolutely agree they are in completely different worlds from most people. A tax bracket 99.9% of the world’s population will never see and with privileges that blind and separate them from others. Doesn’t mean they can’t be activists in their own right if they choose, but that isn’t their job, and I’d rather someone who isn’t fully informed on a subject not feel pressured into speaking on it. It’s a really ridiculous waste of activist energy. Take that pressure to actual politicians or corporations to do better. It’s such nonsense wasting any energy on entertainers who just want to entertain, not become ambassadors or run for office.

[@pickledcucumber8693]

Literally I can do nothing but agree because you’re always right (let’s just forget the fact that you think tiwwchnt is better than komh)

[@elenagerhardy2636]

Neither tiwwchnt nor komh are her best work.. 😬

[@pickledcucumber8693]

@@elenagerhardy2636 I wouldn’t exactly call komh a masterpiece but few taylor songs are worse than tiwwchnt 😂

[@elenagerhardy2636]

@@pickledcucumber8693 haha fair enough. IMO it’s just not really worth comparing skips, and rep has a few. I’m also not a fan of Endgame or NYD.

[@theswiftologist]

legend

[@midoasmar773]

I bet this guy knows Taylor Swift better than her parents

[@LZ2ME]

Coming back to this after the new article, lol-I cannot wait to see your video on that.

[@lesliemcgee4759]

You should be an advisor for Taylor like Her all around everything ! You are so smart and again you have a Taylor skill but yours is better! I love the way you look at the world and the politics and woke issues you would be a great speaker of staying on the right page and your thoughts Zac could work miracles in a society that hurts each other . You have a great look at life and I love you more than Taylor and I’m not joking . I wish nothing but the best for you I hope you fall into the right hands and be so successful by being you ! This was amazing .

[@archer1949]

The Nashville scene hasn’t been about “blue collar working class” since the 90’s and the rise of Garth Brooks.

[@KyleOgilvie1]

What do you think the odds of her dropping Taylor versions of Christmases When You Were Mine and Christmas Must Be Something More are? I can see her totally doing them as a surprise drop this year, but I can also see her waiting until Taylor Swift (Taylor's Version) drops sometime next year and I can see her ignoring them all together.

[@pickledcucumber8693]

If she doesn’t rerecord christmases when you were mine I will start a petition that song is just too good 😭

[@justincera1770]

Christmas Must Be Something More is good too!

[@mgabss]

I love Taylor, if you ask my friends they'll tell you how intense I am about her. BUT I feel like she has a hard time understanding her privilege as a rich white woman born and raised in the US. As you said, she has a hard time understanding other struggles wich she doesn´t relate to. I feel like we don´t talk about how the "Wildest Dreams" video is SO COLONIZING, omg.

[@jasmine_28]

How is it colonising?

[@silly_hue-wheat]

she didn't even directed it

[@soulfireonfire6423]

Understanding her white privilege? Yet she donates privately and publicly and pays for cancer treatment for the parents of one of her fans. I am sure there are many more acts like that , that we are not privy to! But of course “ white privilege” is brought into it not just the fact that she is a wealthy celebrity, in regards to your comment! How does her being white have anything to do with this video!!!

[@popcultureperspectives164]

It would also be interesting covering Taylor as a storyteller in music, because it's often discussed as if she invented storytelling in music or that storytelling sets her apart from other artists. But I think of Dolly Parton's "Coat of Many Colors" or Loretta Lynn's "Coal Minor's Daughter" or Tammy Wynette's "Stand By Your Man". These all tell stories. In fact, doesn't all music tell stories? Some stories more complicated than others, but even rap music tells stories of prospering from life in the hood, or the struggles of life in the hood the way Bluegrass tells stories of country life struggles. It'd be interesting to learn what sets Taylor apart in what consistently gives her this unique credit as a storyteller. I don't understand why Swift almost excluisvely gets such as credit as the storyteller of music?

[@renee9903]

I stan an intelligent and analytical Swiftie!

[@imkitty9689]

i think that if she wants to do this (which i believe that she does indeed want to do this), then that is her choice. but people need to stop acting like she has to speak out about political issues, and people need to stop making as big of a deal out of it as they are.

[@avacamille6556]

How are you so right all the time. Literally go off omg

[@CarlieMS]

I like you so much because you are the only person who truly makes me see the mistakes and shortcuts of Taylor without feeling is an attack to her or you are being just a mysogynistic hater. Your brain is amazing and I am here for every single one of your analisis and points of view even when I don't agree with them once in a while! Thank you for this content👏🏽🇲🇽.

[@-.a9942]

Did you make a second part? Cause I am here wanting more of this

[@michealmacgearailt8232]

Fantastic and nuanced video, keep doing what you do!

[@berryrl9]

So true, Taylor’s ‘woke era’ was such a cringe and she dropped that SJW character as soon as she moves to another era. Now it’s all crickets. I don’t despise her for it because I know it’s all part of the Lover chapter/era, but I just hate people dragging her for dumping that woke image when they don’t know how TS and her PR machine works.

[@seerpou]

i think she had arrested development

[@katepayne58]

Honestly the country accent might have been genuine. If she’s anything like me, she might pick up the accents of the people she’s around the most.

[@prettiestargirl]

Here I am Taylor Swiftologist' aka Smartest Swiftie (S.S) biggest fan

[@horrorfanatic1734]

The way you're literally spilling...

[@sacredsunflower8930]

Another excellent video essay! 😽

[@mattlucas4188]

the only thing i disagree with is you saying she has every right to shoot back at anyone who takes a shot at her - but then going on to say she shouldn’t retaliate on someone, like the ginny and georgia writers, because they’re not asb big as her

[@mattlucas4188]

@justanordinarydemigay5243 yeah but he said she has the right in a tone that implies that anytime she is attacked or retaliated against, she should and has the right to do so - but then goes on to say it’s unfair of her to attack people when they retaliate against her? bit contradictory

[@autumnruns]

I'm from outside Philly (like Taylor) and the fake country accent slays me.

[@lolalaise4530]

Thank you for saying wokeness is a dying game, like ughhh facts, pop stars are entertainers not activists!

[@beckagrace7499]

THANK YOU!!!!!! 🎉🎉🎉

[@cg7119]

I loved the video! Could you make I video like What do we need to know before we listen to Red(Taylor’s Version) I wasn’t a swiftie in Red era so I would like to know for who the songs are, the backstory etc. I hope you like my idea and take count of it!

[@elenagerhardy2636]

@swiftologist you said ‘in my opinion, wokeness is a losing game’. Would you please unpack that? I’m pretty sure I agree with you, but I don’t know why 🙃

[@theswiftologist]

uhhh I actually did unpack it but I cut it out of the video lmao, people can be really touchy about that subject! basically, I think the targets are always shifting (for who/what is oppressive or who/what is an oppressor) and the logic of social media wokeness is just not coherent. so it's a losing game! because you might think you're getting it right and 'speaking out' properly one day, but then the rules change, and because there's no logic to this, you're suddenly a hater

[@elenagerhardy2636]

@@theswiftologist yep I see what you mean. It’s difficult, because on one hand, I want to be able to say ‘as the oppressor, you don’t get to decide what is or isn’t offensive; if someone is genuinely offended by what you’ve said or done, you should take that on the chin’. But there’s so much nuance in what is or isn’t considered offensive- a lot depends on context, and we would tend to be much more lenient towards ‘oppressors’ who we like or consider friends verses someone we don’t like. Culture also plays a huge part in this - I live in Australia, and playful banter is a big part of our culture. Personally, as a straight, white, cis female from a privileged financial background, there’s not a lot of woke culture I feel comfortable commenting on anymore. Then again, it’s not like there’s a LGBTIQ spokesperson I can call upon to represent the entire community; from what I can tell, there’s disagreement on terms etc within the LGBTIQ community itself. I guess all we can really do is approach social media with respect for others and open mindedness at the forefront. Easier said than done with the dumpster fire that’s currently blazing though 🤪

[@buggysims723]

Wait wait wait wait wait. I’m at 5:32… it sounds like you’re saying she’s not a good girl and she faked that? How is that so hard to believe? I among many of my friends grew up with her, and we too didn’t do “bad things” at sleepovers because we were YOUNG. Remember that everyone was in middle school. How is that condescending? She IS a good girl.

[@vrishtihasija2142]

I think she was more on good girl side always but portrayed way more strongly than she actually was. Such as she would not even talk about drinking in her music till what reputation? Sex in her music till 1989 (only in wildest dreams there) and much more. She has always been conscious of how people perceive her and she has always very carefully chosen what to show and what not. This is i believe partly because she was raised “christian” and partly was told by her handlers and PR agency that if you don’t act in a certain manner you will be next amy winehouse/dixie chick/miley etc. don’t forget she came into industry in 2006 when a lot of these women were seeing huge blatant misogny from media and public in general.

[@darshita1270]

woah woah greatt analysis bro

[@emeraldmoon1794]

Starting this by saying this was a really interesting analysis to watch through. I've been really enjoying your videos lately. (New Viewer, Hello!) I agreed with all the points except the one about the Ginny & Georgia comment. Was it a punch down? Yes. Was it still a misogynistic comment that Taylor had ever right to react to? Yes. This idea that Taylor should've been quiet there because she's this popstar and the show writers of Ginny and Georgia don't have the same kind of fanbase that Taylor does feels very.. off to me. You always advocate in your videos for being allowed to disagree in the Swiftie fanbase, so I'm going ahead LOL (Trust me I've found myself disagreeing before I am a Lover enthusiast and we all know how you feel about Lover

[@maryann2970]

I think she understands these issues, she's too smart not to understand. However, I don't think she cares.

[@JarryWorld]

Can't wait to show my bff swiftie this vídeos ❤️❤️❤️😳😳😳

[@theswiftologist]

Hope they like it ⭐️⭐️

[@buggysims723]

I’m only in 2:51, but I will say: a lot of Pennsylvania people have slight drawls.

[@willforrhall]

very interesting thanks!

[@silverhiver]

yes.

[@danielle.jarli_22]

I love that you can be a fan and straightforward about the blatant obvious truths especially privileged fake motives of famous people. You articulate and analyse so smoothly and this method is used in so many other 'popstars' and 'activists' etc - 'Meghan & Harry' Lol! Thank you for you videos they're so pleasing to my quick tea sipping needs.

[@JMallnMonkey]

People who vote because a celebrity told them to shouldn't be allowed to vote

[@Bryce-m6v]

Lol I love you but the young girl writting songs and telling story through songs has been around since we started making music Taylor didn’t make that space.

[@rturney6376]

I think you are off, but this was great 👍 work.

[@alvaro_contreras08]

Madre mía chico

[@AidanMSM]

How do you feel about only the young, I found it super cringe how she was blaming one side for gun violence

[@Poppelon]

Skavlan :D

[@sundragon13]

I enjoyed hearing your perspective and insight, but I have to disagree with most of these points. I'm not a Taylor Swift fan, so I don't know much about her. My disagreement is based completely on the examples you gave, but if I knew more about her, perhaps these opinions would change. First, the accent part. It's totally normal for accents to change over time. When I was in my freshman year of high school, a couple of girls moved here from Tennessee. They both had extremely thick accents and stood out like a sore thumb because of it. Over time their accents faded, and by the time they got to their senior year, their accents were almost completely gone. My accent and speech patterns also changed moving from Texas to the midwest. I also know people who have picked up an accent that they didn't used to have just by being around it for years. I'm not saying Taylor didn't fake her accent because maybe she did, but showing that her accent is gone two years later is actually normal and doesn't prove she faked it. If you showed clips of her within the same time period going back and forth between having an accent and not having an accent, that would be better proof of her faking it. I didn't watch her interviews, so maybe she was aggressive toward the "bad girls," but based on the example you gave, I didn't feel that. There are two main categories of people who do drugs: traumatized people and people who just want to be cool (which one could argue is a trauma behavior in itself). Telling the story about not wanting to sneak off and drink is really positive in my opinion. It's not that she's bashing the girls who do want to drink, but it's so important that she's trying to make being a "good girl" cool because we all know the good girls get made fun of and bullied snd ia often in thr minority. It's a huge problem in society that substance abuse is seen as cool. Yes, we should have compassion for people struggling with addiction, but we have to stop glorifying it. I'm not a Taylor Swift fan because I don't like pop music, but I think it's awesome that she's trying to change the narrative and make it cool to be the "good girl" because so many young girls need a role model like that. I also think it's totally normal that she started off being silent about her political views, only to become more political later. I mean she was very young when she became famous, and it was smart to not share those views, but the older she gets, the more she learns and the more strongly she'll feel about her political views. It makes sense to stay silent until you figure out what you stand for. Also, if you know a thing or two about nice little people pleaser, they almost always snap at some point, so I also think it's normal that she got a lot more fierce over time. The one point I absolutely agree with is that we need to realize celebrities are entertainers, and except for a select few, we really shouldn't even expect them to be role models or political experts or activists. She became famous for her music, not her political views, and we should keep it that way. There's nothing wrong with speaking her political views, but we need to take them with a grain of salt and realize these political views are coming from filthy rich entertainers who probably can't even relate to most of the world.

[@debbie8437]

I found this difficult to agree with since you don’t personally know her or what she deals with bts, you just made assumptions. Did you make some obvious points that anyone watching a public figure can make, yes. But I see this as nothing more than you giving your personal opinion on someone but not knowing all the facts. Anyway, not sure why your channel ended up on my notifications, but I wasn’t impressed.

[@theswiftologist]

first of all Deborah, since when did I ever claim to know what goes on behind the scenes. this is a COMMENTARY channel where I COMMENT on public information. aka my personal opinion, which if you don't like, you can turn off! I could care less if you were impressed. get off my page x

[@Im_Julissa]

Girl, you're just OFFENDED. You need to know the facts in order to discredit someone for the work or you're just making an invalid argument. Zach has been a Swiftie for just as long as me and I can tell you he's right. I know exactly where he's coming from. Debbie, too bad you know nothing of this. You need to find yourself another video that's more at your level. If you're looking for a general, dishonest, boring video you need to find your type of KZbinr somewhere else. This is for the Veteran Swifties who know that fuck what they're talking about. You're just lost.

[@debbie8437]

@@Im_Julissa I’am a longtime swiftie, and that doesn’t mean I have to agree w him, or you.

[@Im_Julissa]

@@debbie8437 there’s a difference from disagreeing and disregarding his credits. He’s not making assumptions they’re based off facts and you still disagree with no facts. You don’t know Taylor either but you assume she has no imperfections. Taylor isn’t perfect and has messed up before Zach is just basing it off everything she said, everything she showed the public and what she acts on. It’s very well focused and analyzed even if you somehow don’t want to agree. You’re just mislead cause you’re thinking that being a fan means supporting everything when it’s not true

[@cuber3603]

@@Im_Julissa so many people forget Taylor is a human with human flaws, nobody is shot out of the womb with a perfectly infallible ideology, the idea that Taylor is different somehow is baffling to me. She's been in the public eye for the majority of her life and acting like she's done nothing questionable is ridiculous.

[@rturney6376]

She is an incredible intelligent woman. This is not a trait our society assigns to woman. You would not create the the same video for a guy. Please try.

[@Its_about_drive_its_about_po]

This video is not denying that she is an intelligent women. Zach himself in a lot of his content praises this characteristic of Taylor. This critic is based on the fact that she is often ignorant, likely due her status in society, on the nuances of how intersectionality works and affects minority groups. How she seems to use activism as a self serving tool for her brand without much thought or care for the subject matter at times.

[@dollythelama]

Being from the South, I never hear any southern accent in Taylor, EVER! I really don’t think she was faking a country accent.

[@alexisatkinson7420]

Would love your thoughts on that one line in "I Bet You Think About Me" because I really like that song but always find myself knee jerk squinting at "kitchen table bills." Not that they didn't exist but that rich vs richer person distinction always breaks my suspension of disbelief 🎵☺🧣❤🤓🎶