The ridiculous conspiracy theories that are circling around the singer and the Super Bowl are a source of great amusement to me and to a lot of others. I had thought that Swift had become a big star just in the last couple of years but it turns out that that was because I had not been paying attention. She has been performing for 17 years and selling out stadiums for a long time. But while that level of success made her a household name among those who follow popular music, her relationship with an NFL football player has thrust her in front of a much wider audience, people like me who had only been dimly aware of her.
The wild idea that she is a part of a ‘psyop’ operation by the Pentagon has clearly created amusement in that austere institution.
The claims by Fox News and far-right influencers that pop star Taylor Swift is part of a Pentagon “psychological operation” to get President Joe Biden reelected, and somehow rig the Super Bowl to benefit Kansas City Chiefs tight end (and Swift’s boyfriend) Travis Kelce, has been met with forehead slaps in the national security world.
“The absurdity of it all boggles the mind,” said one senior administration official, granted anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly on the matter. “It feels like one of those ‘tell me you are a MAGA conspiracy theorist, without telling me you are a MAGA conspiracy theorist’ memes.”
…Faced with an onslaught of journalist questions about the theory, spokesperson Sabrina Singh was ready for it.
In the name of being honest, Singh vehemently denied Swift is part of a DOD operation.
“We know all too well the dangers of conspiracy theories, so to set the record straight — Taylor Swift is not part of a DOD psychological operation. Period,” Singh told POLITICO.
Of course, that is what people behind such an operation would say, no? Don’t be fooled, sheeple!
Even the Japanese embassy in the US has issued a statement explaining how it is perfectly possible for Swift to give a concert in Tokyo on the 10th and make it to Las Vegas for the Super Bowl on the 11th. To show that they are in on the joke, they even buried the titles of three Swift songs in the text.
Catherine Kim writes that while MAGA world seems to thrive on conspiracy theories, this particular one may not go well for them.
If you look at the history of Taylor Swift, if you go back 10 or 12 years, her main critics were actually coming from the left. There was a feminist discourse that argued that she was too heteronormative, that she is supporting the patriarchy by writing these love songs with a straightforward, boy-meets-girl, happily-ever-after kind of narrative. So you would think that the right would embrace that. And for a while, when Taylor was more quiet about her politics, they had this notion that she was secretly one of them. You saw this in around 2017, 2018 when literal Nazis like Andrew Anglin or folks from the GamerGate community like Milo Yiannopoulos, were posting these memes that were suggesting that Taylor was secretly a white supremacist.
And so the fact that she had this political coming out in 2018, and started to embrace leftist causes, that was the first moment when the right rejected her. And as she gained cultural power over the last year, I think that’s made her an easy target. You would think that her dating a football star would be something that would be satisfying to cultural conservatives – she’s playing out a standard conservative script of falling in love with a football star – but the fact that she’s not on their team is especially irksome for a lot of folks. On the right, it’s seen as a betrayal.
The intensity is coming from different levels. Again, it’s this basic sexism. She is unmarried. She is an extremely successful businesswoman. And I know that a lot of folks on the right probably do not aspire to be a pop star, but a lot of them aspire to be successful in business. And she has lapped them over and over. She has become a billionaire based on her own artistry. And so there’s a jealousy factor as well.
Rich Lowry, editor-in-chief of the conservative National Review and a columnist writes that this conspiracy theory is so mind bogglingly stupid, that one could easily weave a counter theory.
Politics has always had its share of conspiracy theorists on both sides, but the right has become particularly susceptible to the tendency as it has become more populist. The Taylor Swift theory is not the first lunatic idea that has gotten traction on the right, nor will it be the last. Most of this discussion is on social media and much of it doesn’t matter very much, but there is a risk that the conservative movement will appear weird and alienated from the American mainstream – and turn off voters in the real world.
In this regard, the Taylor Swift obsession is particularly stupid and perverse.
…One might think these influencers have been manipulated by the Deep State into discrediting the right as part of a nefarious plot, but alas, they are doing it of their own volition. [My italics-MS]
This has also caused some disorientation among football fans when the San Francisco team takes on the Kansas City team in the Super Bowl. SF is the stereotypical ‘liberal’ city that conservatives love to disparage and yet the conspiracy theorists must now hope that it wins. Meanwhile, KC is in a very red state and yet they must be hoping that it loses. And SF fans may be equally conflicted.
It is all so confusing.
There was a feminist discourse that argued that … she is supporting the patriarchy by writing these love songs with a straightforward, boy-meets-girl, happily-ever-after kind of narrative.
I’ve never heard any such discourse, and I have no idea which specific songs they’re (allegedly) talking about. The ones I remember aren’t really all that “straightforward” or “happily-ever-after.” There’s one about meeting someone and feeling a thrill of anticipation or potential; there’s another about being betrayed/cheated on; another warning about how crazy she might be as a girlfriend (“darling I’m a nightmare dressed like a daydream” is not a lyric in the “straightforward” department, and neither is anything else in that song). Then there’s more recent stuff about “the old Taylor” being dead. So…WTF are those alleged feminists allegedly talking about?
IF such discourse existed, it sounds like the sort of thing that comes from that tiny minority of feminists who can be safely ignored. Every movement has its batshit fringe.
the most recent left critique / meme-fueled mockery of her came from the news she uses the hell out of her private jet, fueling global warming. pics of her getting in a jet captioned “taylor swift going for groceries.” it was pretty mild and lasted maybe two months.
Like Taylor Swift is the only rich person who has a private jet? [Yawn]
https://www.forbes.com/profile/taylor-swift/
“Musician
$1.1B Real Time Net Worth as of 2/3/24
#2315 in the world today”
All billionaires are rich, but not all rich people are billionaires; her boyfriend is a mere millionaire.
Heh.
A cartoon I enjoy shows a minister or priest officiating at a funeral service, the casket on the altar in front of the officiant, who says: “Now there is one less conspiracy theorist… or is there?”
Below is a link to a twelve-and-a-half-minute Insider video released the day after Taylor Swift released her You Need to Calm Down video back in 2019. It shows the actual conspiracy that Ms. Swift engaged in to ridicule the anti-LGBTQIA+ crowd by identifying her use of a wide variety of references and co-stars in the original video. Showing the subtle clues that Swift includes for her fans to previous songs and upcoming songs on her next album, cultural references spanning decades, snarky reminders of anti-gay memes and those that use them, her support of feminist, gay and trans rights, and Swift doing all this in a 3:30 video. The comment section includes a few more obvious references missed by Insider’s analysis.
Alan,
Not really; it’s all interpretation. Pyramidology, basically. Apparently, only apparent to fans, too.
That is not to what the term “conspiracy” refers.
More to the point, that is not the conspiracy to which the OP refers; that’s about her being “part of a ‘psyop’ operation by the Pentagon”, not about putting in semiotic signifiers for her fans.
Oh come on, John, do you really think the two are unconnected? EVERYTHING is connected! Especially the Pentagon psyops and the semiotic signifiers!! WAKE UP, SHEEPLE!!!
Not familiar with any of these conspiracy theories and I don’t want to traipse through whatever mental swamp is required to understand what they’re saying. But just from the broad strokes now I’m envisioning some right wing loon trying to get a vinyl record made of Taylor Swift songs just so they can be played backwards and devilish messages unlocked. You know, because that sort of person got the idea of subliminal messaging but couldn’t be bothered to listen long enough to figure out how it was supposed to work. Subliminal messaging was debunked as I recall but it just goes to show they can’t be studious and learn even when it comes to another BS conspiracy theory.
RB, 🙂
Speaking of general weirdness, I notice the guy in the lower-left corner of the OP’s cartoon seems to literally have two faces, one with eyes open, the other with eyes closed. Could it be a semiotic signifier from the Illuminati?!!
@4: ah, the old “other people are doing it so it’s fine if I do/she does” argument. Flawless.
I’m going to throw my hat in the “don’t know much about her” ring. I could name precisely one song (“Shake it off”), and I had to google that before I typed it to make sure it was actually her and not some other contemporary of hers. That said, I had heard about her antics re-recording her stuff to regain control over it, which struck me as some really superb work and made me wonder why Prince didn’t do the same (presumably different contractual details). From the limited amount I’ve read about her she comes across as *extremely* talented, and not just in the songwriting/performing area -- she’s that very rare thing, the complete package. The only surprising thing to me is that she hasn’t explicitly come out politically to date. October surprise, perhaps? That’d be nice… (assuming, safely I think, that she’d endorse the Dems).
Lowry: “One[1] might think these influencers[2] have been manipulated by the Deep State[3]…” That’s three embedded levels of conspiracy. The right is already beyond fake false flags.
sonofrojblake @13
June of 2019 is when the music video referenced in my #7 above was released. Can’t get much more political with it including info about *her* petition to the Senate for support of the Equality Act at the end.
@15: I get that she’s supported causes (I’ll take your word for it, I haven’t seen the video). By “explicitly come out politically” I meant specifically endorsing a candidate -- she either has (in which case why is there even a conversation?), or hasn’t, in which case… I’m surprised, given her apparent history of being “political” and far more on the side of one candidate than the other. That’s all. In a UK context it’s e.g. the difference between saying you support the workers and saying “Vote Labour”.
sonof @13: She may be walking a fine line between explicitly stating her political causes/priorities and not alienating too many fans or potential fans at one time. She may calculate that her best bet is to support specific causes such as voter registration and the Equality Act, without feeling any need to endorse Biden by name, simply because she can count on her fans to know which candidate is most in agreement with her stated causes. (It’s not like that many people think the Retrumplitarians will support anything she’s said.)
My, my the Intertubes must be broken…
Taylor Alison Swift did indeed explicitly endorse Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. in 2020 for the elected office of President of the United States. Extra details and link explicitly provided to try to avoid any potential misunderstandings as to what may be perceived by some to be non-political action by Ms. Swift when it is fucking obvious she has been politically active for at least half a decade. And, seemingly with no adverse effects to her fanbase or popularity, probably because she has demonstrated competence in song writing, musicianship, and stage presence, among other obvious talents.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/taylor-swift-endorses-joe-biden-president-n1242483
The numerologists have weighed in.
https://www.wsbtv.com/news/trending/super-bowl-lviii-how-taylor-swifts-lucky-number-13-connects-chiefs/HUTYQRXPLBGKZBWY24UU3HF5Q4/
Yabbut has she got 13 Grammys yet? She added a few tonight, can she rig the Super Bowl yet?
Taylor Alison Swift did indeed explicitly endorse Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. in 2020…
That was just a red herring to make people think she wouldn’t have to rig the Super Bowl this time around! The super-secret nefarious conspiracy is so blatantly obvious if you just use your imagination!! WAKE UP, SHEEPLE!!!
You are ignoring her worst crime. She borrowed Stewie Griffin’s time machine to abduct Elvis…after which she drained his blood. This is how she gained her musical talent.
Then I’m honestly baffled what the fuss is even about. She’s for Biden -- what’s to discuss?
sonofrojblake, your bafflement is amusing, but foolish.
It’s explicitly explained in the OP:
“The claims by Fox News and far-right influencers that pop star Taylor Swift is part of a Pentagon “psychological operation” to get President Joe Biden reelected, and somehow rig the Super Bowl to benefit Kansas City Chiefs tight end (and Swift’s boyfriend) Travis Kelce”.
Right? Rigging the Superb Owl.
—
Yes, I know you’ve ostensibly wasted electrons on an add-on that spares you from seeing my comments, and that for you that is a quality of life issue, but obviously others can see your question and my answer, even if you cannot.
(It tickles my fancy, that does)
I can come up with better conspiracy theories than Fox… and I will not even have to invoke our reptilian overlords. Bah. Humbug.
Taylor Swift is a newb as far as psy-ops go. Rig the superbowl? pfft.
The Scorpions rigged the end of the Cold War with the help of the CIA. There is a fun podcast about it.
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/may/15/wind-of-change-did-the-cia-write-the-cold-wars-biggest-anthem
The Scorpions story is interesting, but really overplays the importance of some stupid song. The end of the cold war was much more to do with Russian economic mismanagement against the vast sums the US was spending. I thought it was interesting that the CIA was wasting time and money on such stupid bullshit.
@Marcus Ranum
my post made it look like the Scorpions and the CIA collaborated.
spoiler alert if anyone listens to the podcast: they didn’t.
it was all some conspiracy theory that made the rounds. the podcast was fun and dove deep into the story.
Marcus: Republican cold-warriors were giving the CIA money to “do what they could” to “fight Communism.” They had to spend it on something.
What I want to know is how a bunch of middle-aged CIA desk-jockeys decided which of them was gonna try his hand at writing a rock song, and how they’d figure out if it would sell…
Raging Bee@#29:
What I want to know is how a bunch of middle-aged CIA desk-jockeys decided which of them was gonna try his hand at writing a rock song, and how they’d figure out if it would sell…
Maybe it was one of the MKULTRA guys who was experimenting with LSD?
@ 24 John Morales
One, do you realise if such a device existed it would have near universal uptake on FtB? And two, do you realise how many of us wish we couldn’t?
Yes, I’m sorry to say we’re all very much aware Juan Ramón. We have a word for that in English, It’s spelled t-r-o-l-l. It describes when you post to “tickle your fancy” while knowing you are universally despised and with no intention whatsoever of contributing anything of value. Aka your unfailing MO for the past decade plus with alas, no sign of ever getting a clue.
Silentbob, your obsession with me is stupid, and you are the troll.