My apologies in advance that this blog appears way too long. It is because I included the lyrics to the Taylor Swift song by the same name. You may have seen some of her videos, especially the video outtakes of her production of this song using ballerinas and others who have skills Taylor clearly doesn’t have. It is of course endearing for her to admit her lack of skill. It is indeed also humbling and a bit unnerving how talented some people are at things. She is right … we shouldn’t take our lack of ability too seriously. Watch it for yourself: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfWlot6h_JM&t=11s
Now, set aside the musicality and the production values and look at the words our children, especially young women are internalizing and worshiping about her in her lyrics. Plus, remember these are the words to the song which her fans have memorized:
I stay out too late
Got nothing in my brain
That’s what people say, mm-mm
That’s what people say, mm-mm
I go on too many dates
But I can’t make ’em stay
At least that’s what people say, mm-mm
That’s what people say, mm-mm
Many commentators have poked fun at Taylor over her young life for her breakups and incidents which she herself made fun of in her Saturday Night Live performance years ago:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2twcSFYlt0
You have to give her credit for resilience and her hard work, and for her success these days drawing unbelievable crowds and selling out her performances in a matter of seconds. But, I do become a bit concerned when her lyrics can influence modern impressionable youth with models for success that only she can achieve. The song continues with reasonable encouragement:
But I keep cruisin’
Can’t stop, won’t stop movin’
It’s like I got this music in my mind
Sayin’ it’s gonna be alright
‘Cause the players gonna play, play, play, play, play
And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate
Baby, I’m just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake
I shake it off, I shake it off (hoo-hoo-hoo)
Heartbreakers gonna break, break, break, break, break
And the fakers gonna fake, fake, fake, fake, fake
Baby, I’m just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake
I shake it off, I shake it off (hoo-hoo-hoo)
I’ve skipped past some repetitive verses to get to my point in this blog. Indeed there are many bad behaving men out there, but today’s young generation fails to see they are encouraging that kind of behavior in the way they dress and behave. Their sexual freedom may make them seem attractive, but it fails to bring the right men into their lives. My favorite question to my daughters was “what are you trying to tell young men about you based upon the way you are dressed?” They then put on more modest clothes. Here are the lyrics of concern:
Just think, while you’ve been gettin’ down and out about the liars
And the dirty, dirty cheats of the world
You could’ve been gettin’ down to this sick beat
My ex-man brought his new girlfriend
She’s like, “Oh my God!” but I’m just gonna shake
And to the fella over there with the hella good hair
Won’t you come on over, baby? We can shake, shake, shake (yeah)
Yeah, oh, oh
Taylor may be right in not letting others define you by their views about life. But the lyrics also point out that a shallow view of potential mates brings the wrong people into your life. Taylor may correctly advise her fans to shake off ridicule and unfair criticism, but there is a fine line between comments being unfair vs. wise counsel these days.
Perhaps then we shouldn’t be so quick to shake everything off?