in a world where women empowerment is the thing. especially post barbie era. it's disappointing to see one of the most powerful women in the world succumb to a man for hype because he was persistent in trying with her. what kind of message is that? younger pop idols like billie eilish and olivia rodrigo are much more open with their possible gayness, without denials or having to hide behind *from a man's perspective*. they still achieve the numbers and sales. then there's taylor, doing another old PR tactic.
maybe it was never about hiding or scared that people won't accept her, but it's more she just can't get enough of the fame. she doesn't want to step down. she doesn't want to live her truth in exchange for not being on top. she isn't choosing her karlie again and again. she's just always gonna be like that huh? so disappointed. 1989 era was supposed to be the women empowerment era!
I feel so silly for not noticing this before?? I haven’t seen anyone in tumblr bring up these parallels
“https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRWctANb/“
Thanks for this link @thefvckingswanqueen . I never noticed the Baz Luhrman tag too! 😲
Wait, i think there was a really good post days ago about something like this! Of TS x The Great Gatsby! I just can't remember which blog (if anyone has a link? 😭)
Sidenote: I guess i love how apparent F. Scott Fitzgerald's (author of The Great Gatsby) influence is to Taylor, which we could see through her work! The parallels in some of the songs, and the Daisy theme ☺️
Songs:
Feeling so Gatsby for the whole year - TIWWCHNT
Don't blame me love made me crazy ... Lord save me my drug is my baby I've been using for the rest of my life .. Halo, hiding my obsession - Don't Blame Me
(Taylor's fav quote from This Side of Paradise by Fitzgerald)
I once was Poison Ivy, but now I'm your daisy - Don't Blame Me
There are 2 stories by Fitzgerald where the main love interest was named Daisy: Daisy Buchanan (The Great Gatsby) + Daisy Fuller (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Benjamin the cat's namesake too!)
I hope she'll be a beautiful fool, who takes my spot next to you - Happiness
All you want from me now is the green light of forgiveness - Happiness
The line from Daisy Buchanan "a fool, that's the best thing a girl can be in this world". The green light can be a reference to a traffic light, but also to the Green Light symbolism in The Great Gatsby ...
And if i'm not mistaken, Fitzgerald was also a veteran - WWI (The Great War) - as is Jay Gatsby!
“I wrote about moving to the loudest and brightest city in the world, the city I had always been overwhelmed by… until now. I think you have to know who you are and what you want in order to take on New York and all its blaring truth. I wrote about the thrill I got when I finally learned that love, to some extent, is just a game of cat and mouse.” - Taylor Swift (1989 album liner notes)
One of the loudest things to me is how in Paper Rings (a song about wanting to marry someone), Taylor referred back to a line in her 2014 1989 album notes where she says she learned that love is just a game of cat and mouse. Lover came out a whole 5 years later….. like hello?
Throwback to this:
Our Song is Snow On The Beach 🤭
Taylor is known to pay attention to the smallest details to send the right message. Is it possible that the message she wants to send our way completely went over our heads?
Let’s talk about the END GAME video. She laid out multiple tells about an unspoken truth for people to assume, but what if she also gave us the end of her game of hide and go seek with her most precious easter egg, her truth.
Both eyes on her.
There’s an undeniable theme that Reputation exhumes: A love so dark yet pure that she cannot resist but to bask in.
Now, let’s digest the two scenes so we could better understand how relevant this is to the narrative so far.
There are two things the two subjects in the back has in common:
Being a figure of darkness; both are observed as being covered in black. Why is this relevant? Darkness is a tool for concealment. The absence of light provides an unbeatable cover for the truth. Calculated movements, unnoticed touches, stolen glances and hidden truth all dwell in the dark shadows of night. This affair is a secret.
Here are lyrics to support this:
“Our secret moments in a crowded room
They got no idea about me and you(…)
Everyone thinks that they know us
But they know nothing about—…”
“Something happened for the first time
In the darkest little paradise”
They are both looking at her. Regardless of ones reason or intention to stare, one thing is undeniable, there is an underlying need; an unspoken wanting. Her lover wants her as much as she does. The whole album makes us aware of how intense the attraction Taylor feels for her lover and the silent gaze proves that the attraction is mutual.
Generally, cats are perceived as fluffy, adorable, silly and sometimes grumpy animals. But that isn’t what Taylor wants us to see. She specifically chosen a BLACK CAT to stand in as her lover in the dark.
A simple google search will give you an idea of a Black Cat’s Reputation: Superstition, prejudice, bringer of good or bad luck.
Superstition - a widely held but unjustified belief in supernatural causation leading to certain consequences. of an action or event, or a practice based on such a belief.
Prejudice - preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience.
Given these definitions, we arrive to an understanding that their affair is hidden because of people’s unjustified beliefs and preconceived opinions about their love.
But, what’s beautiful is that the black cat also symbolizes that Taylor is aware that choosing to be with her lover can either help her reach the pinnacle of success or cause her to lose her balance and succumb to her downfall. Good luck or bad luck.
And she still took the risk.
See you in the dark
She hid her in plain sight,
She used a cat to make us wonder.
Now we see her in the light,
We see that she is indeed her lover.
Come here, dressed in black now
Scratches down her back now
All eyes on you, my magician
All eyes on me,
Your illusionist.
P. S. The black cat’s eyes are green.
Oh, so they did have the same brand of bag. Lol. Taylor Swift Style confirmed.
always twinning huh 😉
also very poetic that karlie had a ‘fearless’ bag while she attended the eras tour. yeah, she was pretty fearless!
... Truman Show continued
After a moment of reflection, Truman utters his catchphrase: "In case I don't see you... good afternoon, good evening, and good night", bows to his audience and exits. The viewers celebrate his escape, and Sylvia races to greet him.
Taylor is being loud. Wow. She is really burning her artificial life down.
as another reddit user said,
🤨
"She truly believes whatever is meant to be, will be, and knows everything happens for a reason"...
This speech is interesting... very interesting. Yeah, she's The Mastermind. 😏