LWYMMD: First Pure Piece of Trump-Era Pop Art

[Anveeroy 57,702]

When we talk about pop culture in the age of Trump, we tend to mean art of the self-styled resistance. But what about the stuff that history will record as epitomizing our time rather than raising a fist against it? The phrase “Reagan-era culture” doesn’t call to mind David Lynch’s Blue Velvet or Larry Kramer’s The Normal Heart — it’s Dynasty’s slavering fetishization of wealth, power, and conspicuous consumption, or the lubed militarism of Top Gun. Mayweather-McGregor, the sports equivalent of one of those tiger-versus-alligator YouTube nature videos, was, in its way, tailored precisely to the summer of 2017: It required a lowering of standards — a suspension of norms — to agree to participate even as a spectator, and it was steeped in a kind of “Hey, everyone’s getting paid” cynicism that is by now familiar. It didn’t drain the swamp so much as suck us into it.

Swift is a perfect, golden avatar of our moment, a child of the new century who understands celebrity as a form of constant curation of one’s brand the way that Madonna, a child of the old century, understood it as an act of persona creation. Whether or not she is a Trump supporter, she is an embodiment of Trump culture. And with this single, which broke a YouTube record in its first 24 hours, she has slouched in at the last minute to grab the title of Song of the Summer, or at least Song of the Summer We Deserve. (I can’t help but imagine an electoral scenario in which “Despacito” gets more votes but still loses.)

But as we watch Swift’s video — and yes, I get it, it’s not a crime against art, just a clever, irritating, hyper-self-aware pop earworm calculated to prove that she can not only take a joke but she will own and copyright said joke — we should probably pause to remember that none of this fame-enthralled solipsism emerged from a vacuum. It’s the big bang from which Trump the self-selling celeb was spawned. And his presidency didn’t invent this grim and cynical strain of pop culture; it’s just given it a good home. None of this exists without our complicity. We may smirk at it, but it smirks right back, lets us know we’re in no position to judge, and leaves us with this sour revelation: This is also our fault. Look what we made us do.

More @http://www.vulture.com/2017/08/taylor-swift-look-what-you-made-me-do-pure-trump-era-pop-art.html

[Rat Boy 39,068]

[gagagoogoose 30,952]

7 minutes ago, Anveeroy said:

We may smirk at it, but it smirks right back, lets us know we’re in no position to judge, and leaves us with this sour revelation

[heda97 2,399]

So is Taylor a secret trump supporter 

[thierryrreiht 20,169]

 

[Ryusei 60,229]

Oh now taylor = trump 

yup cant wait for the racism reachs coming next

[ArtPLAUSE 1,252]

People reach so hard to hate on Taylor lmfao now she's the embodiment of the Trump culture (whatever that is supposed to be)

[Avenues 4,370]

Wash your political sins 

[Fame IV 4,426]

25 minutes ago, Anveeroy said:

When we talk about pop culture in the age of Trump, we tend to mean art of the self-styled resistance. But what about the stuff that history will record as epitomizing our time rather than raising a fist against it? The phrase “Reagan-era culture” doesn’t call to mind David Lynch’s Blue Velvet or Larry Kramer’s The Normal Heart — it’s Dynasty’s slavering fetishization of wealth, power, and conspicuous consumption, or the lubed militarism of Top Gun. Mayweather-McGregor, the sports equivalent of one of those tiger-versus-alligator YouTube nature videos, was, in its way, tailored precisely to the summer of 2017: It required a lowering of standards — a suspension of norms — to agree to participate even as a spectator, and it was steeped in a kind of “Hey, everyone’s getting paid” cynicism that is by now familiar. It didn’t drain the swamp so much as suck us into it.

Swift is a perfect, golden avatar of our moment, a child of the new century who understands celebrity as a form of constant curation of one’s brand the way that Madonna, a child of the old century, understood it as an act of persona creation. Whether or not she is a Trump supporter, she is an embodiment of Trump culture. And with this single, which broke a YouTube record in its first 24 hours, she has slouched in at the last minute to grab the title of Song of the Summer, or at least Song of the Summer We Deserve. (I can’t help but imagine an electoral scenario in which “Despacito” gets more votes but still loses.)

But as we watch Swift’s video — and yes, I get it, it’s not a crime against art, just a clever, irritating, hyper-self-aware pop earworm calculated to prove that she can not only take a joke but she will own and copyright said joke — we should probably pause to remember that none of this fame-enthralled solipsism emerged from a vacuum. It’s the big bang from which Trump the self-selling celeb was spawned. And his presidency didn’t invent this grim and cynical strain of pop culture; it’s just given it a good home. None of this exists without our complicity. We may smirk at it, but it smirks right back, lets us know we’re in no position to judge, and leaves us with this sour revelation: This is also our fault. Look what we made us do.

More @http://www.vulture.com/2017/08/taylor-swift-look-what-you-made-me-do-pure-trump-era-pop-art.html

Let's not overestimate things just for one video. Gaga has been shaping culture like Madonna did since 10 years ago, an in a much different way than TS; instead of focusing on personal dramas, making statements about pop culture and fame.

[DeanWinchester 41,390]

Taylor really ****ing won here. Even pokemon 4chan threads are referencing the old taylor cant come to the phone right now