After the release of Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl, TikTok had some expectedly strong takes.

One popular TikTok claims that Swift’s album is a “case study in moral collapse” full of lyrics that demonstrate “pathological self-involvement” and “an absence of self-identity.” The user’s tone is confident, but their analysis is largely speculative. Another TikTok explains how the public has perceived Swift through her whiteness. The argument is equally lacking in rigor and includes some ahistorical claims. The video still received over 7 million views and tens of thousands of comments in agreement.

Outside of Swift’s release schedule, this sort of critical analysis is everywhere. The TikToker, talking straight to the camera, breaks down the latest pop star, reality show, cheating scandal, or fashion trend. Sometimes, they’re examining the object or phenomenon itself. Other times, they’re relating it to society at large. They’ll often utilize TikTok’s green-screen tool, floating photos and text above their head that they lean on for authority.

Taylor Swift’s new album The Life of Showgirl exposed a lot of her internal world imo. Please tell me this isn’t obvious to only just me #taylorswift #thelifeofashowgirl #arianagrande #mileycyrus

Cultural commentary on TikTok isn’t new, nor is it always bad. Many critics, academics, and........

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