I’m not,really. I like the music,and I’m keen to see the show,but it won’t be the end of the world if I miss out. Perhaps that kind of all-encompassing fandom just doesn’t survive turning 30.
But I’d never look down on the desperate,obsessive fans,or sneer at the collective cultural frenzy that has attended the Eras Tour,as some seem inclined to do. Indeed,such is their contempt,they cannot keep it to themselves.
Tickets for astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson were on hold during the week while theTicketek website buckled under the weight of Swift-mania,prompting dismay from Princeton-based Australian ethicist Peter Singer.
“Imagine a world in which the rush to buy tickets to listen to Neil deGrasse Tyson talk about the universe meant that you had to wait to get tickets to see Taylor Swift...,” he tweeted disdainfully.
It would certainly be a different world – better informed about dark matter and black holes,perhaps,and less attached to the comings and goings of pop stars. It would be a more serious world,and less fun. But would it be a better one? I doubt it.
There’s something delightful about getting swept up in a cultural juggernaut,like a giant wave carrying the whole beach to shore. The conveniences of modern life like Netflix,Stan and Spotify encourage us to confine ourselves in a shell of personal choice – doing our own thing at our own pace – rather than participating in a shared experience. These days it’s almost a radical act to join the bandwagon.