Taylor Swift: Taking Names and Exposing Heartbreakers

I admit it. Taylor Swift is absolutely brilliant. She combines heartfelt, teenage angst with catchy pop-country music. Her songs, which she writes, are refreshing, young and meaningful. The 19 year old   knows how to make great music (Are you listening, David Archuleta?).

I’m digging her latest spunky single, “You Belong with Me.” Watch:

Part of Taylor’s appeal is her honest lyrics, but it cuts both ways. As she put it in her album liner, “And to the boys who inspired this album [Fearless], you had fair warning.” In addition to her love songs, Taylor has also written about guys who done her wrong and the heartbreak they caused her. In fact, she wrote “Forever and Always” based on the cold shoulder her ex-boyfriend Joe Jonas gave her, leading up to their breakup.

Forever & Always - Taylor Swift

Is it okay to for those wronged to publicly express their feelings and expose those who inflicted the pain? I mean people blog everyday about their personal lives, often revealing the people in their lives to the world (wide web). But does this violate some sense of privacy for those exposed by the blogger or celebrity?

The law does restrict people’s speech when it comes to others. It is called defamation. Defamation requires a defamatory statement, publication (communication to a 3rd party), identification of the alleged defamed party, damages, and falsity. (Thanks, Tort class.) I don’t think Taylor’s breakup songs constitute defamation, since they usually fail to specifically ID the heartbreaker or fail to meet the falsity requirement.

Besides 1st Amendment and defamatory issues, are there any social consequences when private, personal interactions can readily be put in the public domain? Does it create a sense of uneasiness or suspicion?

Conversely, should we deny people a creative outlet to express their feelings? What are the repercussions? Would we be denying a meaningful, emotional outlet? Or would we be censoring artists, like Taylor, from creating inspired music and thus deprive the world of beautiful works?

It’s time for you to blog/post about your thoughts. Oh and would you ever date Taylor Swift or a blogger that would publicly write about your faults?

Comments

[Mike Hsu]

I think Swift's delivery adds to her popularity too. She doesn't have the greatest voice, but her plain delivery makes her lyrics sound more true.

I have serious issues with the video though. Throughout the whole things I prayed she wouldn't take off her glasses. But she goes and does it anyway. Most nerdy girls out there don't have stylists who will do their hair and makeup for them. They are stuck with their glasses, t-shirts, and sneakers, even on prom night.

[Emily]

Nearly all artists are inspired by real people and experiences. Look at Stephen King -- funny how all his books are about writers in New England, right? Every author bases characters on people he/she knows. Every comedian makes jokes about family members and friends. And yes, every songwriter is inspired by real-life love and loss. That's the foundation of beauty in all art forms: real life. And it's the artist's right to exaggerate, extrapolate, or reimagine the details as she/he sees fit. We wouldn't have nearly the quality of music, fiction and stand-up comedy we do if we held all artists to the high standard of truthfulness to which we hold journalists.

As for the rights of Joe Jonas or anyone else who finds him/herself the subject of a song, joke or story...it's not as though they didn't know that was a risk when they got involved with the artist. It's the price you pay for being close to someone with creative genius. And if you're a jerk to that person...well, you deserve whatever you get from them.

[Michelle Kwan Fan Club]

My personal opinion is that music is much better when its deeply personal and emotional. In fact, these things are much more important to me than the person having a good voice. That is why I don't really like mainstream music. It's mass-marketed fake gobbly goop. Hence my disdain for American Idol...a bunch of people singing cover songs vying for the right to have a studio write all of their music for them. Lame.

As for this particular song, it's definitely not for me...but it did seem like there was some genuine feeling in there...so that part was nice.

On a side note, did anybody notice how the antagonist female has darker features (dark hair)? Yet another subliminal message that fair skin and light colored hair is good and darker features are bad. I didnt like that part.