With the release of Taylor Swift’s eleventh studio album, The Torturned Poets Department, fans, critics, and everyone in between have shared their take on the 31-track album. Reviews from professional critics have been mixed, with some critics taking issue with the lyricism of the album as well as its production by longtime collaborators Jack Antonoff and Aaron Dessner.
One psychiatrist and Taylor Swift listener says she recently shared her thoughts on the album and was met with hefty criticism from the singer’s most vocal fans. In a video posted to TikTok, Dr. Claire (@drclaireo) says she feels she has been “canceled” by her fellow Swifties for her critical take on the album.
“I’m a psychiatrist and I’m currently being canceled by the Swifties for making a post criticizing the most recent album,” she says in the video.
Dr. Claire says the response she received brought the growing concern of parasocial relationships to mind.
“I have been shocked by the comments that have been left on my post,” she says. “The amount of people who are commenting like they’re intimate friends with her, know what goes through her head, [and] are there with her writing her songs is alarming to me. Maybe we do understand some things about her through her music and through what she posts and how she communicates to her fans, but we do not know her.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to Dr. Claire via email regarding the video.
Critics of the singer’s fanbase have long found fault with the nature of some of their most fanatical behavior, at times describing the parasocial relationship between listeners and the singer as unhealthy. For the uninitiated, a parasocial relationship is a one-sided relationship often between a celebrity and their fans, in which fans or other observers invest time, interest, and effort when the subject party is generally unaware of their existence.
Some viewers wrote in the comment section that they were Taylor Swift fans themselves and found that many in their own ranks needed to reevaluate their behavior.
“As a Swiftie, I have to say a lot of them need to go touch some grass,” one commenter wrote.
“They expect you to explain yourself if you don’t LOVE her work,” another said. “It’s wild.”
“I’ve been a fan since 06, and I was told by a Swifty that not liking the new album means I lack empathy like WHAT?!?!?” a third said.
@drclaireo #parasocialrelationships #swiftie #taylorswift #taylornation #ttps #torturedpoetsdepartment #erastour #blackdoctor #mentalhealth #fandom ♬ original sound – Dr.Claire MD
Others agreed with the poster’s take regarding the artist’s intent, writing that there is no way to know her without interacting with her directly.
“I’m a swiftie, the amount of times I’ve had to remind people that she is a stranger is alarming,” one commenter wrote.
“Omg fr like ppl get so mad when you don’t interpret her music in the same way that they assume she meant it.. how do you know what she meant..??” another commented.
“I only have 33k followers on TT so literally a grain of sand in the influencer world & even I have some odd interactions w/followers who think they know me,” a further user said. “Cannot IMAGINE what it’s like on this scale.”
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