Taylor Swift and the joy of liking things

02 Oct, 2025

On the eve of Taylor's next album release, I am reminded how nice it is to like things. Something to look forward to! What fun. How delightful. No downsides.

Growing up I thought liking things was dangerous. It made me vunlerable to attack. It was safer to be cynical, to hedge all preferences with criticisms. Give myself some breathing room in case my opinion reflected badly on me. Certainly don't let someone see my bookshelf.

But a few years ago I listened to some Taylor Swift and liked it, and the extreme uncoolness of liking Taylor Swift meant there was no hedging to be done. It was either like her sincerely, or reject her fully.¹

So I like her unapologetically. People try to give me an out sometimes, "but you like her ironically, right?" my boss once asked me. Nah. I just like her. "You like her physically, you mean?" Nah. I like her music.

I found myself leaning into it a little. Listening to her more and more. It is now a thing people know about me. Max likes Taylor Swift. Odd, but wholesome. A positive thing.

And I want to keep it that way. I don't want to be a fan. I don't read the discourse, I don't try to defend her on the internet. I'm a secular swifty. I won't be reading any reviews of the new album. I'm going to listen to it, and have my own opinions. Maybe listen to it again a few days later, maybe change my mind. Who knows.

I will enjoy it without considering what that means about me. And that is nice.