Taylor Swift has become one of the most famous women on the planet - but is she using her platform responsibly?

Aaliah Patel

Time Magazine has announced its annual 2023 ‘Person of the Year‘ as worldwide sensation Taylor Swift. Does she really deserve to be Person of the Year?

Time described Swift as an “individual who most shaped the headlines over the previous 12 months, for better, or for worse.”

2023 was Taylor Swift’s year, and she definitely enjoyed a prosperous 12 months. She not only became a billionaire, but ended on the ultimate high of being named Time‘s Person of the Year.

Time‘s Editor-in-Chief, Sam Jacobs, said Swift was chosen as she was able to universally “move so many people” in a year of darkness.

But I don’t think she was the right choice. 2023 had so many stories of perseverance and bravery in the face of oppression — our Person Of The Year should reflect more than just the influence of the wealthy and successful.

“Taylor Swift fans may have been pleasantly surprised, but I wasn’t”

“Swift has been chosen and praised endlessly just for being wealthy.”

I can see why some people believe Taylor Swift to be the right choice for Person Of The Year.

People often turn to music for comfort, and 2023 was a particularly difficult year. Swift is known for her widespread impact and connection with her ‘Swifties’. So, of course, Swift enjoyed success after success with her infamous sell-out ‘Eras’ tour, grossing over one billion USD, and earning the top spot on Spotify’s most streamed artists list in 2023.

But is that all she did? Connect with the fans she stripped billions of dollars from?

Taylor Swift has joined the same Person Of The Year leagues as Elon Musk in 2021, and Donald Trump in 2016. While Swift, Musk and Trump all accrued influence through their vast wealth, they’re not up to the same level as some previous humanitarian winners.

In 2022, Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Zelensky was championed as “The Spirit of the Ukrainian People.” 2019 saw young activist Greta Thunberg earn the title for her leadership in the fight against climate change. In 2023, Taylor Swift made a billion dollars, and pumped out inordinate amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere from her private jet.

Taylor Swift fans may have been pleasantly surprised to see their idol plaster the posters, but I wasn’t. I was not shocked that wealth and success are still rewarded above perseverance and acts of defiance for real change.

Swift was chosen for her successful tour, a film exceeding box office records, and her official status as a billionaire. In a world where people are struggling to survive against raised living costs and high inflation, Swift has been praised endlessly just for being wealthy.

Who Should Have Been Person of The Year?

“We need to wake up and live in the real world, tackling its real challenges.”

Frankly, the real ‘People of The Year’ are the journalists risking their lives and dying in the war in Gaza. Why is the bravery of these journalists, caught between constant violence, not celebrated or widely acknowledged?

Just to name a couple, Motaz Azaiza and Wael Al-Dahdouh are two brave reporters still updating their social media accounts with news from the horrifying grounds of the Gaza conflict. Al-Dahdouh lost his entire family in the conflict, but he continues to report on the voices of Gaza.

In 2018, journalists caught up in mass shootings and violence were chosen for this title. Why are the likes of Al-Dahdouh and Aziz not as worthy?

The Idolisation Of Celebrities

Time‘s choice of Swift underscores the need to scrutinise our mega-stars.

‘Swifties’ idolise the singer for her perceived integrity and authenticity, and landing Person of the Year further glorifies this image. Ultimately, we have failed to scrutinise the more problematic things Swift stands for. Whether it’s pumping greenhouse gases into the environment during a climate crisis, or glorifying capitalism, Swift’s wealth and success give her a ‘get out of jail free and become Person of The Year’ card.

I can stomach a university course teaching a curriculum of Swift’s musical successes, but Person of the Year is too far out of touch. In 2024, we need to wake up and live in the real world, tackling its real challenges.

We need to ask whether we should really champion the hollow successes of the wealthy. Especially when they detract from the bravery of those enduring real struggle.

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Featured image courtesy of Paolo V via Flickr. No changes were made to this image. Image licence can be found here.

Politics & Current Affairs writer

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