Wildest Dreams MV accused of being RACIST.

[TiphEret 1,320]

This may not be what people were expecting but...I don't get the big deal. I honestly didn't believe that this would generate any heat because it's Taylor and because there's clearly no racism. But I was shocked when it did. As plenty of others have said, there is no depiction of racism, the storyline is set in the 50's on the set of a style of movie that was popular at the time (American explorers venturing into Africa) and everything is relevant to the time period (the cast and crew would be all white). I didn't realise that recapturing the reality of a time period was racist. There is nothing here to criticise, absolutely nothing.

But, to play devil's advocate to round it all off...if even I, a Swift hater, is defending her here, but some of the critics, media and public aren't, what does that say? Before now, the critics, media and public were on her side and I was against her. If even they've turned against her and I can't find any reason to support their criticism, what does that suggest? That her backlash is truly occuring. The Spotify thing and the Twitter fight were just an overture because they had valid reasons for criticism. This issue has no valid reason for criticism and yet people are picking on her. And some of them aren't even the haters. Now that's the ultimate signal that a backlash has commenced. Come to think of it, this is the third criticism of percieved racism Taylor has endured this era. First it was her twerking, urban clothes and use of black women in SIO being called cultural appropriation, then the dismissal of Nicki's accusations of racist media on Twitter and now this. That's a lot of racism accusations for one era. I think a lot of it is BS but still...three accusations is a lot.

Thanks for that wonderful backhanded compliment, but there was no need to downtalk someone else in the process. Katycat has much right to free speech as the rest of us.

I see your point but to me this video has the same undertones as another "polemic" we had in France: A singer that was celebrating Paris during occupation and how it was "light and fun" romanticizing it. No it wasn't. It wasn't cool to b at war , like it isn't cool to portray a movie set in colonial time when white people saw Africa as their new playground. Of course it's not offensive like showing slaves or such direct racism but it seems to ignorant and careless. Clearly it seems a matter of perception, because I see two extremes regarding this video: people who see it clearly racist and some who don't.

[QueenGadonna 298]

You know its hard being tolerant to black people when they act like this. It pisses me off.

The video is not racist.

[lego 44,165]

You know its hard being tolerant to black people when they act like this. It pisses me off.

 

yikes

 

[PaperIz 7,346]

I see your point but to me this video has the same undertones as another "polemic" we had in France: A singer that was celebrating Paris during occupation and how it was "light and fun" romanticizing it. No it wasn't. It wasn't cool to b at war , like it isn't cool to portray a movie set in colonial time when white people saw Africa as their new playground. Of course it's not offensive like showing slaves or such direct racism but it seems to ignorant and careless. Clearly it seems a matter of perception, because I see two extremes regarding this video: people who see it clearly racist and some who don't.

well should we never have current media depictions of past time periods because bad things happened during them? I don't think that's fair at all. It's not like she was celebrating the bad of the era, but the good stylistic aspects of it. Insensitive to depict a certain time period, maybe. But racist? I don't think so.

[TiphEret 1,320]

well should we never have current media depictions of past time periods because bad things happened during them? I don't think that's fair at all. It's not like she was celebrating the bad of the era, but the good stylistic aspects of it. Insensitive to depict a certain time period, maybe. But racist? I don't think so

Of course not, that's not the point but it was made in a ignorant way no serving a plot and during very bad timing when you see what's on the news

[PaperIz 7,346]

Of course not, that's not the point but it was made in a ignorant way no serving a plot and during very bad timing when you see what's on the news

i think it's absolutely silly to limit someone's art because of current events. Like racial issues are not even in this video. It's not about any of that. So should she be terrified of doing anything at all in fear of being "racist", because at this point it's exhausting 

[TiphEret 1,320]

i think it's absolutely silly to limit someone's art because of current events. Like racial issues are not even in this video. It's not about any of that. So should she be terrified of doing anything at all in fear of being "racist", because at this point it's exhausting 

Lol calling this art..it's entertainment at best. And so because of freedom of speech and art we can't be culturally sensitive and minding what is happening on the news? Maybe she could do her next video in Syria when we are at it... For me the issue is really was it that important to set it in Africa when it's not serving the plot whatsoever? Really of all the places her team could have picked? I almost feel like this is done  because it's going to stir controversy and she will get attention. Good or bad it's publicity right. I hope it's not the case though.

I am not going to repeat my self, in a previous post I said it seemed to be a matter of perception. You don't see it as a problem fine. I lived in an african country, and I see a problem. Other people do, some don't we can also just move on if we can't understand each other point of view

[PaperIz 7,346]

Lol calling this art..it's entertainment at best. And so because of freedom of speech and art we can't be culturally sensitive and minding what is happening on the news? Maybe she could do her next video in Syria when we are at it... For me the issue is really was it that important to set it in Africa when it's not serving the plot whatsoever? Really of all the places her team could have picked? I almost feel like this is done  because it's going to stir controversy and she will get attention. Good or bad it's publicity right. I hope it's not the case though.

I am not going to repeat my self, in a previous post I said it seemed to be a matter of perception. You don't see it as a problem fine. I lived in an african country, and I see a problem. Other people do, some don't we can also just move on if we can't understand each other point of view

it seemed an interesting setting because wildest dreams sort of goes with wild animals or the wild in which case Africa is like the coolest representation of that concept. That's how it serves the plot. And you don't categorize music and videos as art? Every artistic decision should not have to be tailored around being scared of offending someone, when obviously that was not the intention. I doubt they even realized this would be a controversy at all. 

[TiphEret 1,320]

it seemed an interesting setting because wildest dreams sort of goes with wild animals or the wild in which case Africa is like the coolest representation of that concept. That's how it serves the plot. And you don't categorize music and videos as art? Every artistic decision should not have to be tailored around being scared of offending someone, when obviously that was not the intention. I doubt they even realized this would be a controversy at all. 

It could be but you know colonisation isn't cool how hard is that to get? http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2015/09/01/436653602/taylor-swift-is-dreaming-of-a-very-white-africa

Your conclusion is what I mean by being culturally insensitive. It's acting by your own standard when you are abroad and not minding the customs, history nor tradition of the locals. Clearly she didn't mind the history.

[PaperIz 7,346]

It could be but you know colonisation isn't cool how hard is that to get? http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2015/09/01/436653602/taylor-swift-is-dreaming-of-a-very-white-africa

Your conclusion is what I mean by being culturally insensitive. It's acting by your own standard when you are abroad and not minding the customs, history nor tradition of the locals. Clearly she didn't mind the history.

the video was more about the love story and the scenery than the traditions and customs of the land. If she embraced them for the video, she'd be shot down for cultural appropriation in a heart beat. I don't think the message of the video was "oh yes white colonisation of Africa is cool!" I think it was more love story of 2 movies stars in a film filmed in Africa because the song and fictional movie are called WILDEST Dreams.

[TiphEret 1,320]

the video was more about the love story and the scenery than the traditions and customs of the land. If she embraced them for the video, she'd be shot down for cultural appropriation in a heart beat. I don't think the message of the video was "oh yes white colonisation of Africa is cool!" I think it was more love story of 2 movies stars in a film filmed in Africa because the song and fictional movie are called WILDEST Dreams.

AFRICA isn't just WILD. You don't go around and pet a lion, because it's beautiful and wild. You don't go around because they'll kill you. So not only is it a stupid cliché but it's still f*cking ignorant. The more you try to find arguments the more you prove my point: I tell you that it's lame to use Africa as a nice postcard, and you argue that it is a nice scenery and it's not about the tradition and the land. Not caring is the whole point, like how many words do I have to use ? I am done. This piss me off so much.

[PaperIz 7,346]

AFRICA isn't just WILD. You don't go around and pet a lion, because it's beautiful and wild. You don't go around because they'll kill you. So not only is it a stupid cliché but it's still f*cking ignorant. The more you try to find arguments the more you prove my point: I tell you that it's lame to use Africa as a nice postcard, and you argue that it is a nice scenery and it's not about the tradition and the land. Not caring is the whole point, like how many words do I have to use ? I am done. This piss me off so much.

 i never said nor implied that Africa is just about the scenery or the wild, sweetie. That is the part that video embraced is all. Why is it so lame to enjoy something on earth, the planet we all live on? I believe things like this in the media are here just to divide us more. People of any colour should be able to celebrate a place's beauty. Celebrating the beauty of the lions (and donating money for an animal charity which further pushes the pretty creatures and scemery aspect) isnt ignorant just because theyre dangerous. I'm sorry I've upset you, dearie, but wanting a beautiful video hardly seems racist. 

[Goosey 3,017]

Can you guys please respect that some people consider this racist instead of criticizing the article this time?

Nah. You don't have to respect anything and everything. They're being silly.

[JusKeepBreathin 19,311]

Look even Beverly Hills 90210 had more black people than Taylor Swifts video in AFRICA.  Why are people still defending the video. It was a mistake she didn't mean it to be ignorant, but to say there is nothing wrong with the video is a bit disturbing.

 

 

[iMonster 1,037]

As a Black Latino I'm really getting sick and tired of people labeling everything RACIST. Sometimes it's not even Black people making these claims, to be quite honest. I wasn't offended. I didn't feel discriminated. I didn't feel "left out" etc. 

If she would've had a Black lead actor or Black crew better yet, then people would've wrote "Taylor is racist because her Black crew was a representation of when. . . " It's so annoying. I truly wish we'd move past this notion of Black people being oppressed and we need to treat them all like charity cases. 

This video isn't racist at all. What's racism? I don't know profiling/labeling someone a thug because they're walking down the street. Or maybe writing hateful messages about why blacks are inferior to another race - THAT'S racism. Not having black actors in a 3 min video because it's set in Africa. . . -____- 

You know its hard being tolerant to black people when they act like this. It pisses me off.

The video is not racist.

When Black people act like what? Your post proves why generalizations are horrible. You shouldn't make blanket statements like this because in the end you'll look silly. Your post honestly made me sick and it's sad people like you still exist.