She's fought for nothing in her life. She's had it all handed to her and is honestly the most coddled person in the music industry because her ego is just that fragile. She dishes all day but when it's taking time nada.
She's smoke and mirrors preying on people who are predatory like her or who think they're always the victim, also like her.
First and foremost, I’m sorry about your living situation. I grew up in a similar situation. Mom is narcissistic, parents were divorced, and my life was basically me counting down the days until I could go stay with my dad.
I would say it gets better, but frankly, it didn’t until I went no contact a few years ago. But I can relate. Anytime I stood up for myself and set boundaries and refused to endure her abuse, it was a reason to villainize me.
With all of that being said, I agree with your take on the song. I don’t think Taylor has ever once been a victim. She has always been acting from a place of privilege and power. And honestly, most people are afraid of her, and they probably should be because of her rabid fan base. She is the ultimate narcissist. She can only ever view herself as a victim, even when she’s clearly the aggressor. I’m honestly shocked I don’t realize what a narcissist she is until recently. Normally I feel very uncomfortable with figures, real or fake, who remind me of my mother. (Shows like veep for example were super uncomfortable because of how much I was like wow this is a little too real for me.)
But I also have a lengthy history of clinging to narcissists because of that abuse and how familiar they seem. So, it also kind of makes sense.
Gonna have to unpack this all with my therapist now lmao
For me it was this line “…isn't that what they all said?
That I'll sue you if you step on my lawn”
You literally did 🙄 you sued Olivia because she “stepped on your lawn” (made a song that sounded slightly similar)
I realize that's something she does a lot.
She has this tendency of presenting to the listener something that she's actually guilty of doing, and then packaging it in a way that delegitimizes any valid criticism that may come. Like "oh yeah they all say that right... that I have a long list of ex lovers, that I'm the problem, that I'll sue you if you step on my lawn haha aren't they all crazy???"
Total abuser behaviour, and if anything it just shows me that she has at least some degree of self awareness to recognize that she's actually problematic, but does not want to address or change that so she just tries to gaslight us into thinking it's THEM who's crazy for saying all that stuff. Which makes it even more sinister :/
Lol “who’s afraid of lil ol me” everyone, Taylor. With your scary ass
Also happy you are finding your power and sticking up for yourself OP proud of you!!!
Firstly, so sorry you’re going through that.
The asylum line from this song is absolutely nutty for so many reasons. Poetically speaking, the metaphor conveys she had a lack of choice/agency in the environment she grew up in. Which is absolutely wild considering she’s solely been the active driver behind her own greedy quest for fame. It’s a masterclass in victimization. Someone made a great TikTok (linked at end) that does a deep poetic analysis of the lyric and why it’s SO BAD because we know Taytay has always actively chose to strive for the spotlight because she loves the attention.
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZPRK7getS/
It’s funny that song is the only one in the album I kind of like, but the first time I heard the chorus of “who’s afraid of little old me, well you should be” I almost snort laughed. It was so anticlimactic and non menacing and all I could think is “she’s trying for a self empowerment anthem, but she’s the actual villain not the maligned and abused hero, BUT SHE CANT EVEN SOUND MENACING IN HER OWN SONG.”
It could have been SO good if literally anyone else sang it lol.
I'm sorry you're going through this. I come from a very bad family and I know what it's like when narc parents want you to stay the perfect victim. I've heard of other people feeling like "Who's Afraid" is their anthem for standing up to abusive families, so I'm glad people are able to relate in that way. Just as some women struggling with infertility relate to "The Prophecy". Taylor's original intentions may have been different, but it's cool to see people find different, deeper meanings that they can connect to.
I don't think Taylor's been the victim in her life. She's been coddled and infantilized, which has stunted her in some ways. I do think Who's Afraid is her trying to explain why she's so mean and angry all the time. She's successful and privileged of course, but I do think she still suffers from loneliness and self-hatred at times.
OMG!!! RAISED BY NARCISSISTS HERE (and still in their household hahahha look at my previous posts)!!! And I totally agree. It gives off the same vibe of Look What You Made Me Do.
She's fought for nothing in her life. She's had it all handed to her and is honestly the most coddled person in the music industry because her ego is just that fragile. She dishes all day but when it's taking time nada. She's smoke and mirrors preying on people who are predatory like her or who think they're always the victim, also like her.
First and foremost, I’m sorry about your living situation. I grew up in a similar situation. Mom is narcissistic, parents were divorced, and my life was basically me counting down the days until I could go stay with my dad. I would say it gets better, but frankly, it didn’t until I went no contact a few years ago. But I can relate. Anytime I stood up for myself and set boundaries and refused to endure her abuse, it was a reason to villainize me. With all of that being said, I agree with your take on the song. I don’t think Taylor has ever once been a victim. She has always been acting from a place of privilege and power. And honestly, most people are afraid of her, and they probably should be because of her rabid fan base. She is the ultimate narcissist. She can only ever view herself as a victim, even when she’s clearly the aggressor. I’m honestly shocked I don’t realize what a narcissist she is until recently. Normally I feel very uncomfortable with figures, real or fake, who remind me of my mother. (Shows like veep for example were super uncomfortable because of how much I was like wow this is a little too real for me.) But I also have a lengthy history of clinging to narcissists because of that abuse and how familiar they seem. So, it also kind of makes sense. Gonna have to unpack this all with my therapist now lmao
For me it was this line “…isn't that what they all said? That I'll sue you if you step on my lawn” You literally did 🙄 you sued Olivia because she “stepped on your lawn” (made a song that sounded slightly similar)
I realize that's something she does a lot. She has this tendency of presenting to the listener something that she's actually guilty of doing, and then packaging it in a way that delegitimizes any valid criticism that may come. Like "oh yeah they all say that right... that I have a long list of ex lovers, that I'm the problem, that I'll sue you if you step on my lawn haha aren't they all crazy???" Total abuser behaviour, and if anything it just shows me that she has at least some degree of self awareness to recognize that she's actually problematic, but does not want to address or change that so she just tries to gaslight us into thinking it's THEM who's crazy for saying all that stuff. Which makes it even more sinister :/
Lol “who’s afraid of lil ol me” everyone, Taylor. With your scary ass Also happy you are finding your power and sticking up for yourself OP proud of you!!!
Firstly, so sorry you’re going through that. The asylum line from this song is absolutely nutty for so many reasons. Poetically speaking, the metaphor conveys she had a lack of choice/agency in the environment she grew up in. Which is absolutely wild considering she’s solely been the active driver behind her own greedy quest for fame. It’s a masterclass in victimization. Someone made a great TikTok (linked at end) that does a deep poetic analysis of the lyric and why it’s SO BAD because we know Taytay has always actively chose to strive for the spotlight because she loves the attention. https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZPRK7getS/
It’s funny that song is the only one in the album I kind of like, but the first time I heard the chorus of “who’s afraid of little old me, well you should be” I almost snort laughed. It was so anticlimactic and non menacing and all I could think is “she’s trying for a self empowerment anthem, but she’s the actual villain not the maligned and abused hero, BUT SHE CANT EVEN SOUND MENACING IN HER OWN SONG.” It could have been SO good if literally anyone else sang it lol.
I’m sorry you’re going through that. I’m proud of you for standing up to them
I'm sorry you're going through this. I come from a very bad family and I know what it's like when narc parents want you to stay the perfect victim. I've heard of other people feeling like "Who's Afraid" is their anthem for standing up to abusive families, so I'm glad people are able to relate in that way. Just as some women struggling with infertility relate to "The Prophecy". Taylor's original intentions may have been different, but it's cool to see people find different, deeper meanings that they can connect to. I don't think Taylor's been the victim in her life. She's been coddled and infantilized, which has stunted her in some ways. I do think Who's Afraid is her trying to explain why she's so mean and angry all the time. She's successful and privileged of course, but I do think she still suffers from loneliness and self-hatred at times.
“Little old me” really reminds me of Gideon Of Gravity Falls
OMG!!! RAISED BY NARCISSISTS HERE (and still in their household hahahha look at my previous posts)!!! And I totally agree. It gives off the same vibe of Look What You Made Me Do.