Let the Swifties Swift

Volume 19: Issue 2

I want to be clear; I am not a Swiftie. I like one album and actually own it on vinyl. Okay, and I also went to one concert. However, that was years ago. I like her, I do. I am someone who doesn’t worship or hate her. There are people whose casual fandom of TayTay does not rise to the level of hysteria I often see in my classes. There are kids here who know what outfit she wore on what date or can tell you what song was playing in the background when she made a specific announcement (they are in my B block). To their almost creepy adoration, I say, “Good for you!”

I have seen so many eye rolls and heard plenty of negative backlash at the Swifties of the world. Sure, obsession at such an intense level can be overwhelming and most undoubtedly can turn toxic. I do understand. But, I, for one, sort of love it. To clarify, I love their love of something beyond themselves. I think it’s almost brave in this era of apathy (pun intended) to adore something popular. One thing that hasn’t changed since I was in high school and that is that there is nothing cooler than to hate the “way too popular” thing. It’s the same thing that happened to Lin Manuel Miranda in the wake of Hamilton’s colossal success. Even my dear William Shakespeare is not immune.

I am not telling you what to listen to or what to love. I am asking you to love something, to be stubbornly nerdy about something. To the kids who got up at dawn to play the new version of Fortnite, I salute you! I once drove eight hours to see a production of Richard the Second, only to turn around and make the same drive home the next day. It was exhausting and worth every mile. Too often, we dispose of our passions out of our need for acceptance. 

Some fandoms are deemed cooler than others. Star Wars, for example, seems to have become acceptable, while still playing Pokemon Go is not. How many juniors dressed as Lebron James this Halloween? We allow people to love their teams and athletes, and they are all the better for it. My father, at 73, wakes up every Saturday in the fall and dresses from head to toe in his scarlet and gray to support THE Ohio State Football Team. This is not a cliche; he wears a hat and merch all the way down to his Buckeye socks and officially licensed sneakers. What’s the difference between this wacko fandom and making those viral Swift friendship bracelets all weekend?

I genuinely hope that you find something you can unapologetically nerd out about. I would love to see us become a community that unabashedly cheers on geeking out in all its forms. Buy the crocs! Collect the 50 key chains! Make a Minecraft palace! And as long as it is not hurting anyone, let the Swifties Swift.