When I arrived at college, I assumed the change would magically transform our adolescent ways and then by graduation our minds would be wired with adult thinking. After recent events, I’ve realized that this is definitely not the case.
First passed note: KimYe – A Couple that’s Petty Together, Stays Together
Disclaimer: For the current middle-schoolers, the “old” middle-school aged kids used notes as our primary form of communication or gossip, not Snapchat. I know… very shocking.
The inauguration of Taylor Swift into the music world came with adoration and with uncertainty. After winning the hearts of the friend zone and singles, T-Swift became an international sensation. I was empathetic with her first breakup but I became skeptical that each relationship always ended in an album release date. I knew after awhile her formula would soon grow cold. My presumptions were correct.
Let’s flashback to 2009. The infamous "Single Ladies" video by Beyoncé (people still didn’t know she was black yet) was released into the universe. Even though Mrs. Carter won Video of the Year, why not receive Best Female Video, too? However, Swift swept that award with her song “You Belong with Me.” Kanye West didn’t appreciate her success so he let everyone know. He stole her speech time, made the 2009 MTV VMA’s historical, and increased ratings.
Since the fiasco, the two have been cordial with each other until 2016. Swift had been in a 15 month-long relationship with Scottish DJ Calvin Harris but ended recently. Of course, her fans fell to their knees to comfort her and hopefully rejuvenate her enough to tell them she would produce an album. Clearly their sympathy worked because she’s now in love with Tom Hiddleston. Harris took note and is allegedly in a relationship with R&B singer, Tinashe.
On the other side, Kanye released his music video for “Famous” and it is not your average video. The entire video is the camera panning naked bodies of celebrities Kanye has liked, disliked, or just encountered. For example, there is Kim Kardashian, Donald Trump, Chris Brown, and Taylor Swift herself.
At first, T-Swift was furious and wasn’t made aware of her appearance in the video. All of a sudden, Kim’s petty signals started to sound off because she went to Twitter to commence the throwing of shade. She also used her Snapchat and posted past videos of a recorded conservation between Kanye and Taylor. In these videos, she praised Kanye for his ecletic work and using her in one of his lyrics of the song.
Due to this, everyone began to express their disgust against Swift and even her ex, just one of them, even chimed in.
The moral of the story is don’t purchase the argument and you’re not the only one with the receipts. Just as J. Cole said, “She don’t wanna be saved.”
Second passed note: Melania Trump… I mean, Madonna… wait, no Harriet Tubman.
Plagiarism has been taught that taking someone else’s words is forbidden and the punishment would be an equivalent to the death penalty. College students understand this as forfeiting the right to receive a degree. For Mrs. Trump, she believed no one would recognize. I understand most people are bashing Melania Trump for this blunder but this all boils down to her husband, the frontrunner, Donald Trump.
As a part of his campaign, Donald should have taken into consideration how this could possibly cause an issue or hurt his presidential nomination. He continually denounced any claims of plagiarism and even used President Obama’s tweet when First Lady Michelle Obama gave her speech at the Democratic National Convention.
Obviously, this mistake didn’t hold him back because he is now the official Presidential nominee for the Republican Party.
On the other hand, social media had to express their frustration on the subject. The Great Twitter had two prominent hashtags that encompassed the situation: #BeckywiththeBorrowedSpeech and #FamousMelaniaTrumpQuotes. Jesse Williams, actor and activist, started the second hashtag and took the internet for a ride.
Overall, these events show people become distracted with anything that seems different or dysfunctional. I will admit I did become intrigued with the KimYe vs. Taylor feud only because I had personal opinions for Mrs. Swift.
The final lesson: Think before you speak or tweet and listen to your English teachers when they say always proofread.
