Is Taylor Swift A Bad Role Model for Healthy Attitudes?

Taylor’s at it again.  Last weekend she performed her recent breakup song “Never Ever Getting Back Together” at the Grammys and took a swipe at an ex.  This is one in a long line of send-offs inspired by the real-life heartbreak she’s become synonymous with.

Why does this happen to her so often?  I have a cynical theory - that her record label and handlers exaggerate what would typically be normal dating drama, reinforcing her image and making her songs much more personal and powerful.

But let’s say this is real and she always strikes out.  We all have friends who seem to be unlucky in love.  But how much of this is outside their control and how much is a self-fulfilling prophesy?  Taylor may be attracted to the wrong people, but if her history and music is any indication, she could be trapped in a viscous cycle, struggling to break out of it.

While this pattern sells plenty of records, there are a some issues with her message when it comes to a few widely-held health tenets:

Health Tenet #1: Importance of strong long term relationships, both romantic and non-romantic

Issue: Taylor’s music discourages or minimizes the value of these relationships and says it’s OK to be alone

Health Tenet #2: Importance of a sense of control on mental / physical health

Issue: Taylor’s songs often lay the blame of failed relationships on her partner, allowing her to play the victim and brush responsibility away from her

Health Tenet #3: Power of positive thinking and optimism

Issue: There’s an underlying pessimism in her songs and an ongoing narrative that she’ll never be able to find love or happiness

Maybe this is going too far – at the end of the day, Taylor’s just singing fluffy pop music targeted towards confused, hormonal teenagers.  But it does beg a larger question – what is the entertainment industry’s responsibility when it comes to health?  For every success story (e.g., Jennifer Hudson’s weight loss, Robert Downey Jr.’s success in rehab), we’re fed many more stories about celebrity failure and downfall.  These narratives may make us feel better about ourselves, but can reinforce negative attitudes and desensitize us to bad behavior. 

I give credit when the entertainment industry takes a more nuanced view of these issues (e.g., non-exploitive profiles on celebrity challenges and recovery), but this won’t be enough if performers like Taylor continue to be role models and send potentially harmful messages.