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I don't like Lady Gaga.
Blasphemy alert. I’m a sixteen year old American girl and I don’t like Lady Gaga. And no, it’s not because I don’t like her music, her costumes, or her performances. I just don’t like being manipulated.
Actually, I lied. It’s partly her music, costumes, and performances. But not so much because they’re hideous or outrageous or tiresome. But looking back at those pictures of her as a “normal” girl and seeing what and who she is now, it’s almost insulting. The fact that this girl had to change into something almost non-human to finally get noticed is unsettling, at best. She’s instead this cold, faceless force. No one noticed her when she was trying to “make it”. But then the fame machine (monster, she calls it?) seemed to eat her up and spit out an entirely new person, repackaged and revamped to “shock” us all.
And in the end, it really isn’t even that shocking. It’s almost a little pathetic (and you’ll see what I mean by insulting) when it seems that the state of the nation’s youth has degenerated so much that we need a woman in a mask and sparkling breasts to tell us that we’re all okay. Okay to be different, okay to be loved, the whole package. Because then we really aren’t, are we?
She's been quoted as saying, “I would rather die than have my fans not see me in a pair of high heels. I'd never give up my wigs and hats for anything.” I'm afraid that this mentality about possessions and image, to her millions of female fans, is dangerous. She speaks almost as if these material things are as vital to life as water is. This is the same woman who says that “I'm always saying something about art and music and fame. That's why you don't ever catch me in sweatpants.” She claims that her style and her persona is for art, and yet, it begs the question if she ever does anything for herself. She makes herself a martyr for the love of her fans. And if she is as passionate as she says she is about new frontiers in art, why are the vast majority of her lyrics about sex and money?
I'm not asking her to be anything different, not exactly. Give me a David Bowie reincarnate, an rebel in the music industry. But give me a little more complexity, a little more beauty, a little more thought than just what's on the outside. Give me another facet than just the freaky hair and makeup and clothing, because if that’s all there is, her opinion about simply being yourself is lost somewhere in the jumble of cosmetics and oversized sunglasses. But most of all, give me a break.
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This article has 471 comments.
Looking through most of the comments, I would ask you to look at the response I posted somewhere on the comments section of this. People seem to think I'm condemning 'uniqueness'. I don't think I was entirely clear in my original piece. I'm not saying there's something wrong with being 'unique' AT ALL. In fact, I'm encouraging it. My issue ISN'T with her clothes or anything like that. It's the lack of substance or independent thought behind it that really irks me. There's a difference between LOOKING different and BEING different. And if you're only in it to APPEAR different, what are you trying to prove in the first place?
That said, thanks for all the criticism and positive comments. I'm fully aware of all the fallacies I have in my post...some of which are deservedly called out, some of which are generously overlooked (teehee). Thanks for reading.
Writing is formed mostly, if not most often, from opinions, and we as readers are allowed to agree and disagree with those opinions. But when we say "freedom of the press" and "freedom of speech," it means that we have the right to voice those opinions. It also means that we are very much allowed to strongly disagree with them. But to go about insulting one another? That is not how that works. Everyone who disagrees with this piece has their point, and so does everyone who agrees. There is a right and wrong way to criticize. I don't just speak in defense of a random stranger who has written a very good yet controversy-sparking piece, but on behalf of all young writers and their right to voice opinions, was it really necessary to insult this person?
Hmm.... I can't tell if this is a troll or if this is really her.
I can in fact imagine her being on this site.
If you are a troll, successful troll is successful.
If not, sorry for calling you a troll. Before you get offended that I called you ugly, please look up the meaning of the word in Urban Dictionary.
That is all.
Lady Gaga is okay, I mean I like her songs, but herself as a person is okay. The thing I really admire about her (the other only thing actually)is that she fights for what she believes in, even though everyone else in the world thinks she's strange for doing it. She doesn't care a hoot on what people say and just fights for things she thinks is right.
You also have to consider the fact that she is unique and has a personality that has affected everyone in some way. Just like with Justin Bieber. My english teacher said when my class was at the book fair, "Ah, the Bieber book. Nobody likes him, but then again, they all touch the Bieber book..." That's sort of what's going on now with Lady Gaga.
Hope you don't take this comment the wrong way..I'm just expressing my opinion on her.
Good entry though :)
I think that this was a very inappropiate comment. These boards are meant to criticize the WRITING, not degraade and talk harshly about the writer themselves.
And that's your point of view. That's fine. But that doesn't make some of what jen920 said wrong. Our society IS losing sight of what it means to be yourself. Okay, maybe the image Lady Gag portrays IS who she really is. But that doesn't mean that that person is someone people should strive to be like. She does only seem to talk about sex and drinks and money in her lyrics. America needs to ask itself, Is that really who I want to be? I don't think she's inspiring, I think she's just yet another celebrity who is being idolized by people who go along with everything they see without thought. I don't like Lady Gaga, either, and I am SO relieved to finally realize that someone feels the same way. THANK YOU, jen, for writing this article!
ORIGINALITY.
Have you ever herd of that?..
i dont think there a thing called normal.
be your own person..thats who shes being..if she was like everyone else there wouldnt be a Lady Gaga!
I dont think yall know creativity and originality is.
Lady Gaga is Happy being her awesome self..she wouldnt be happy if she was every kesha, katy perry or Brittany Spears.
I am In love with Lady Gaga..she inspires people to be thereselves!
Whats so Wrong with that?
I totally agree. I didn't even know who she was until late last year. When I heard about her, I looked her up and was shocked by what I found. Then I listened to one of her songs. I didn't listen to the whole thing, because I was shocked by what I heard.
Thanks for writing such a great article.
I am sorry to say but it's not she who has to be pitied upon, it's you. If we ever met in real life I would give you a hug and pray for your mind to broaden it's horizons.
She does not dress up that way just to get noticed, she thinks it's beautiful and it's her true identity. I think the same way and according to me people should be what they want and not what the society tells us is appropriate. You are such a thick skull! And you know what? you hate her just because she has the bloody guts to be different and you don't. She says what she wants you are just too chicken to speak your mind. You are chained by the society and it's rules, you are afraid of being a social outcast! She doesn't care!
She has enough talent and she would've reached the top anyways.
She isn't weird for the sake of being weird, she's weird because she's beautiful.
You are just a mindless little girl who can't understand art. Lady gaga is far from an attention seeker, most of her private life is hidden unlike other celebrities who you all adore like anything. Lady gaga makes her own art unlike others. Lady gaga gives a message of freedom which sadly people like you don't get.
And the only reason you hate her is because she rejects being 'normal' and has the guts to make her own identity.
And the woman who can touch my heart, who can make me cry, who can inspire me can never be a superficial attention seeking popstar.
I don't think the celebrities you adore can ever inspire you.
It's a very sad thing that you won't get it.
Lady GaGa is not a celebrity but an artist and art cannot be understood by everyone.
God bless you.
My name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, also known as Lady Gaga. Although you don't wanna admit, you are one of my little monsters.
Bless u
Gaga