speak now

my grand theory about why taylor swift attracts so many deranged parasocial haters is because... and stay with me here? but she doesn't try for "cool." her brand is earnest and targeted at people who aren't trying to be on the cutting edge of everything she touches - she projects this image of immense capability and productivity and work ethic without also serving immaculate looks or even really changing her personal style up very much since coming of age. she gives off these really strong, respectable, "girl who has done her homework and will genuinely be annoyed if the teacher doesn't collect it at the end of class" vibes. it's stuff that, if you're mentally still stuck in adolescence, that would make someone an attractive target for bullying. but taylor swift just... doesn't lose. she's only gotten bigger and more successful while still pretty much coming across as the teacher's pet. and i think the cognitive dissonance is just too much for these weirdos to handle. like, we're bullying her, but she's not going home crying! she's just going about her business doing her job! WHY ISN'T SHE HURT BY THE FACT THAT WE HATE HER??? and it's just... it's really funny. these people are more invested in Taylor Swift The Brand than pretty much any swiftie you'll ever meet. they're all so convinced it's virtuous to spend their time obsessively writing paragraphs online about a pop star who literally has no idea they exist... honey, you ARE swifties at this point. your streams count just as much as any fan's. just funny to watch people mass-delude themselves like that

the album is brutally honest, satirical, a bit cringe here and there, depressing and experimental at the same time, I would not side eye anyone for saying "I don't understand this" or "this isn't my cup of tea" or even "what the fuck is this" because it's obviously not a 1989 or midnights kind of album for everyone. I understand why she said she "had to put this out" but while she is at the peak of her career, she released an album that is not for beginners nor really for overall critics, it's knees deep into the taylor swift lore and probably the most herself an album has ever been, that does not mean it is a masterpiece but it makes it so insanely special

the “i’m so in love that i might stop breathing” to “as she was leaving it felt like breathing” pipeline 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫

1989 having another organic #1 hit inside of her vault is the least surprising thing to happen in Taylor's career... the pop bible never flops