Revelation

“Revelation”

A Review of Miss Americana by Nick Olszyk

MPAA Rating, NR

USCCB Rating,  NR

Reel Rating, Three Reels           

            Miss Americana opens with a scene of now thirtysomething superstar Taylor Swift going through her tween journals, decorated with pink feathers and faux locks on the fore edge. Around the margins, she has written: “My thoughts, my dreams, my goals, my reality.” As the memories flood back, she smiles and muses, “from the time I was very little I have always had a desire to be thought of as ‘good,’ to be a ‘good girl.’” It’s amazing how a single scene can perfectly capture a person’s identity, a person who first comes to define her moral existence as the world, then herself. Miss Americana is a well-executed revelation of both an artist and the culture she inhabits. Unfortunately, what is demonstrated may be more of a nightmare than a dream come true.

            Miss Americana begins as a standard autobiography. Swift narrates the entire film herself, which provides an intimacy rarely felt on such projects, although it also makes her an unreliable narrator. Swift’s career began in her early teens and skyrocketed overnight, breaching the top 40 by 16 and a number one hit by 18. There’s no denying she is talented, rivaling Michael Jackson in sales and the Beatles in popularity. All her hit songs were at least partially written by herself. Her “thoughts, dreams, and goals” became “reality.” Her crisis – as she would define it – began in 2009 when Kayne West interrupted her VMA speech to voice his opinion that Beyoncé should have won. For those unfamiliar with the esteemed MTV Video Music Awards, this is about as controversial as the Real Housewives arguing about who brought better wine to the baby shower. Gradually, she would shift her philosophical center from external to internal, leading to a flowering of great music and new courage to express her identity.  

            As a budding artist in the mid-2000s, Swift found confirmation of her “goodness,” both morally and artistically, in the approval of her peers. The applause from fans and various awards validated her worth as an individual. Yet fame is always fleeting. With the rise of social media came trolling and cyberbullying. In addition, she became the center of sexual assault lawsuit against a music executive who had groped her in front of dozens of people. Rather than rolling with the punches, Swift took them. Hard. She had been trained to “smile and wave.” Thus, she had no way to cope with hecklers. Social acceptability has never been a strong moral standard. If it were, martyrdom would not be possible.

            After taking a year break from the spotlight, Swift burst back into the music scene with a completely different attitude. She traded her cowboy hat and country twang for disco sparkles and a pop persona. 2014’s album 1989 was a smash hit and dealt directly with her negative experiences. None demonstrated this better than the album’s most successful song “Shake It Off”:

I go on too many dates
But I can't make them stay
At least that's what people say, mmm-mmm
That's what people say, mmm-mmm

But I keep cruising
Can't stop, won't stop moving
It's like I got this music
In my mind
Saying, "It's gonna be alright.

Prior to 2014, she was also firmly apolitical, allowing many fans to consider her a crypto-conservative. Now, she began to talk openly about equal pay, homosexuality, racism, the #metoo movement, and a host of other liberal causes. She endorsed political candidates and insisted she “would not be silent.” This clearly had a positive affect on her psyche. Finding one’s conscience and speaking out on one’s beliefs are essential for spiritual growth. However, the Church has always cautioned that it is possible to have a poorly formed conscience that could endorse evil. While claiming to buck the system, Swift bought into another philosophical niche hook, line, and sinker.

            Miss Americana has a typical “happy ending.” Taylor Swift, the nice girl who always did right, matured into a confident young woman who speaks her mind, all while winning Grammys, helping liberal politicians, and making millions. Yet, the victory is hollow because the journey is not done. The moral advantage of conforming to society is that it teaches the individual to think outside his own ego. The disadvantage is that humans are fallible, especially in large numbers. The moral advantage of conforming to inner discernment is that it sees past social pressure. The disadvantage is that it is easily swayed by one’s own passions. The answer is to conform to the law of Christ, given to humanity through the Church’s deposit of faith. This is the only way an individual can experience the joy of youthful rebellion coupled with the certainty of a divine mandate.

            Miss Americana is aptly named. America herself began by rejecting social norms and attempting to make a new “city on a hill.” Yet, freedom is not a license to redefine reality. The film frames the argument, but the Church has the best answer.

This article first appeared in Catholic World Report on February 21st, 2020