In a culture obsessed with becoming the cool, untouchable ‘It Girl’, individuality becomes impossible when everyone is a critic behind their internet identities. The existence of ‘fandoms’ celebrate human connection, being communities uniting people through their shared, common interests.
Yet fandoms come with the price of originality. The growing fear of being defined by popular interests is rapidly resulting in the death of the fangirl and the rise of the herd mentality.
Our ever-changing society is built upon the latest, short-lived trends. With younger generations being raised alongside the growth of the internet and social media, it’s inevitable we collectively obsess over the next big pop artist or viral food item. Remaining culturally relevant without being uninteresting is an impossible game of social suicide to today’s youth.
A perfect example of young girls, in particular, being judged and branded as ‘basic’ is through their love of popular music artist Taylor Swift. Whether you’re a fan of her music or not, Swift is an undeniably powerful woman who receives backlash no matter what she does.
Experimenting with multiple genres to widen her talent and outreach, Swift has undoubtedly earned her place in current social relevancy. And yet spectators are still not satisfied with her work, being especially unhappy with her rising fandom.
Following the release of Swift’s twelfth studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, on the third of October, society and fans alike were quick to criticise. Mocked since its August announcement for its out-of-touch, unrealistic title, to being hated for its promised pop persuasion; it’s an album of much controversy. Disappointed fans took to the internet to express how much they miss Swift’s last album of lyrical, relatable melodies.
Written at a happy, hopeful time of Swift’s life, this album expresses her contentment during this new ‘era’ of her music, relationship and life. With even Swift’s fans, known as ‘Swifties’, turning on their once beloved idol, the instant hate this album received proves that we have developed an instinct of defence against becoming ‘just like everyone else’.
It’s subjectively arguable that The Life of a Showgirl is not up to Swift’s gold-star standard, but having reached the number one album in the UK music charts, it can’t be written off as simply a ‘bad’ album. Despite their constant mockery, Swifties are the prime example of a fandom contributing to the economy; buying various copies of this album with its different covers, alongside official merchandise.
The hatred that fans of the album, and fans of Taylor Swift herself, have received solidifies that the cruelty fandoms receive is something much bigger than hating predictable, popular interests, but hatred against young women.
The destructive nature of social media contributes to young girls being belittled for their interests, existing as a reminder that they should always be striving for ‘more’. It begs the question why can’t young girls simply exist without having to justify their every move?
Fangirls are shamed no matter their interests, deemed to be just like everyone else. Having popular interests, such as Swift’s music, shouldn’t lead to backlash for being unoriginal, as popular things are beloved for a reason.
So why do we continuously fight the idea of being just like everyone else? Instead of seeing the impossibility of originality as something negative, the economic benefit as well as the social sense of community fandoms inspire is essential in a world where the digital dominates all.
Common interests should unite rather than isolate us, which fandoms succeed in doing by encouraging human connection from near or afar. Trends come and go, but the fangirl lives on in us forever.
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