Taylor Swift Just Shared Some Wise Words About Social Media Obsession
LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 15: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NO STANDALONE PUBLICATION USE (NO SPECIAL INTEREST OR SINGLE ARTIST PUBLICATION USE; NO BOOK USE)) Taylor Swift performs onstage during “Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour” at Wembley Stadium on August 15, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management )
Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management
We’re living in a distracted, media-obsessed culture right now. Because we’re so obsessed, it can be hard to detach from the flow of information and the digital narrative we keep seeing on our feeds. If you don’t believe that’s true, listen to the sage advise of Taylor Swift, who recently appeared on the New Heights podcast along with her boyfriend Travis Kelce and his brother Jason.
The episode was mostly focused on Swift making a huge album announcement, but it was interesting how quickly the topic switched over to using digital technology.
She was talking about how much she uses the internet and what our self-identity in the age of social media obsession means. For her, reading sourdough bread blogs is her way of escaping and finding a community, and she said that’s a valid, reasonable distraction. Yet, she also needs to detach at times and turn it all off.
As she explained: “If your algorithm is giving you either criticisms of yourself or adulation or praise you’re creating an ecosystem in which you’re the center piece of the table. I just don’t think that’s healthy.”
Let that sink in for a moment, because it could be one of the most profound statements I’ve heard recently about social media obsession.
Studies have shown recently that constant usage can lead to depression and anxiety. It is particularly acute with preteens who are scrolling, liking, and commenting all day. As a society, we really do have to decide how far we want to take this obsession. Touching on that topic a few times in the episode, Swift explained that no one in the world is always thinking about one person, even her, all of the time.
To me, it sounds like social media obsession is leading to self-obsession.
“We live in such a social media moment where a lot of people get their identity from [comments made on social media),” she said. In a comical moment, Swift then shared how she can read something about herself and realize it’s none of her business. (She likely meant the comment wasn’t accurate or even remotely true.)
How Taylor Swift manages social media
That’s relatable on so many levels.
What we read on social media should not define us, especially since there’s so much misinformation and half-truths, she said. “Think of your energy as if it’s expensive, as if it’s like a luxury item,” Swift advised. “Not everyone can afford it. Not everyone is invested in you in order for you to have the capital…to care about it.”
She mentioned how it’s easy to obsess over just one comment on social media. It can ruin your day and mess with your sleep schedule.
“Social media expounds all of this,” added Jason Kelce, meaning that people will often tag a celebrity like Taylor Swift and comment on something she did or said. To her point about the capital we all have, that “expounding” is essentially trying to steal her capital.
Taylor Swift on controlling the obsession
One of the most interesting things about the podcast appearance and the album announcement is that Swift is showing us all what it means to control the narrative.
For someone who essentially rules the airwaves in terms of her musical contribution, she is not afraid to point out that constant media usage and doomscrolling is not exactly healthy. Even the most prolific creators need to take a step back once in a while.
One of my favorite writers of all time named John Eldredge has commented on the fact that anything we do that’s worthwhile and empowering often takes a lot of time. Think of raising kids or developing a new skill in your job. It’s not instant. Over time, you learn what works, what doesn’t work, how to react, and how to apply what you’ve learned.
To say that Swift is one of the most inventive “creators” in the world right now might be an understatement, but the lesson here is that it’s okay to detach. It’s okay to stop creating and inventing at times and just listen, consume, partake, and collaborate.
If Taylor Swift can do it, maybe we all have a chance.