I mean, this is exhausting

As Plato so correctly observed "Poets utter great and wise things which they do not themselves understand." And never has that sentiment been more true than when examining the lyrics of unparalleled wordsmith Taylor Swift. Using the literary techniques of juxtaposition and assonance, she paints a vivid portrait of the perplexing turbulence of the teenage experience in 21st Century America.

"We're happy, free, confused and lonely at the same time," she observes - a heartbreaking depiction of a generation that has everything, but feels disconnected. Freedom from responsibility does not bring us joy, she has discovered. Technology disengages us from the spiritual world. We increasingly connect with our fellow man in isolation. Material wealth is all around us, but the soul isn't nourished by the accumulation of possessions. Yet, the thrill of acquisition gives us fleeting moments of satisfaction; an all-too-brief adrenalin rush that echoes the vitality of our ancestors. "It's miserable and magical," concludes Swift, "Oh, yeah."

Side note: She looks hot in this video.

Taylor Swift - 22

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