In the words of Ariana Grande: ‘why do you care so much whose **** I ride?’ 2024 is off to a wild start. Progressive? No. Disconcerting, quite possibly. *All views are my own*
I. Have. No. Words. I don’t really get involved in the politics behind musicians lives… until an agenda is beginning to be normalised upon the general public which is rather startling.
I had a quick listen to Ariana Grande’s latest single ‘yes, and?’, it’s hard not to when it’s advertised here there and everywhere. Pop song which is pretty catchy, hard not to like. Until I researched the lyrics to know what I’m actually humming along to… with some referring to it as a home wrecker anthem?! Say what?
Let’s quickly rewind for context. Ariana was married to a guy called Dalton for one or two years, didn’t work out. Now rumoured to be dating her co-star Ethan Slater, who is also married to his supposed childhood sweetheart, just giving birth to their first child a few months before this rumoured entanglement with Ariana.
Messy? Yes. Her life? I guess so as it’s not really the business of others about from the people involved…. But if consumers are replaying and streaming a song with subliminal messages, what does that make us?
Think of it as hypnosis and being under a spell or sedated. Media is very influential as we all know. It reflects whilst inspiring society what the new norm / current trend is. How does the music industry gain the most traction, accumulating millions of streams which in turn goes into the musicians pockets after everyone takes their cut. In 2024, it’s TikTok.
Garner up a dance and before you know it, billions of people are mirroring your dance routine and lyrics. Essentially like followers to a cult leader but as exposure is so easy attain nowadays, you’re able to sell to a wider audience. Children, adults, practically all of society is in you grasp. Due to this, it’s a marketers dream. Everything that you see, hear and imagine has stemmed from a form of conditioning you’ve exposed yourself to. Subliminally or consciously.
The messages in this song are highlighting that you should lead life how you choose. You shouldn’t care who I’m intimate with as that’s my business. Oh and be your own best friend. Contradictory? Quite possibly.
Where is the line in society? As if we opt not to respect the terminology and ideology of marriage, the concept could become extinct before our eyes. If you choose to begin seeing a married party, it’s no one else’s business who’s …. You ride, however crude the term is. Not even the spouses, correct? Not the children potentially involved, no? Is it even your own business, as you’re far detached from reality to think it’s as simple as that. Unfortunately vows, new innocent life and contractually you’re bound for a little while longer until you’re divorced. As it’s at least the lawyers and courts that’ll be in your business, or will you just respond, Yes, and?
The blasé attitude that is being normalised and unconsciously engrained in impressionable minds is morally twisted. Last January, Miley Cyrus’ ‘Flowers’ – encouraging independence and self-love after battling to save a marriage was a somewhat empowering not only for women, universally was a great viral message. 2023 seemed to be off to a great forward-thinking start. Just 12 months later in 2024, we’re glamorising infidelity and making yourself happy at any expense, nonchalant to the cyclone-effect you may create along the way dragging others into what may be deemed a selfish, short-sighted concept regarding your happiness disregarding the lives and emotions of others in the way of your alarming pursuit of happiness. It’s not only your life, as you’ve encroached upon the lives of others, being actively married.
Now of course it’s for the spouse to know the boundaries and that affairs aren’t acceptable if you’re in a monogamous relationship / marriage. But it’s also for outsiders to respect your relationship status by knowing the limits. Why else do mass numbers wear a wedding ring? It’s a symbol that you’re not available as you’re committed to another. Or is it the modern phenomenon to override this symbol for our own happiness? As no matter how you look at it, you’re disrespecting how one has chosen to lead their life in order to capitalise on your perception of happiness.
What do you think? Is infidelity being glamorised? Is media to blame for how society operates and defines right from wrong? Comment below!
Beauty File 
You have to look at this in light of the longer term trends, as reported by the Census, for people not to get married and not to have children. Celebrities can do whatever; the rest of us can’t afford that lifestyle, whether we would want to or not. The gap between the small percentage of “haves” and the massive number of “have nots” in our society really limits how influential these people and stories can be.
Beyond, that, I agree with your first point that what people do is their choice and none of our business. I am absolutely against government involvement with what we do in private or what women or men can do with their bodies. The Pandora’s Box of the “Pro Life” movement is a future in which the government can order people to be put to death when they are no longer able to be productive or support themselves. That’s the Libertarian position after all: if you can’t afford to pay for healthcare, die. And the reason the Freedom Caucus wants to abolish Medicare and Social Security. The hypocrisy of that movement is the GOP voting against programs to help children — yes, let’s force them to be born, then let them suffer and die after birth. This is government based on pure greed, nothing more. I’d call it the Devil’s work, but that would insult Lucifer. Now they are trying to overturn the US Constitution to impose their greed on the rest of us.
I went to a funeral on Friday. A good man. He and his wife fostered 12 kids in 5 years, adopting the 6 that could not be reunited with family. He was killed in a carjacking and police chase by someone who should never have been allowed access to a gun. Some politicians insist that births happen, but, as I said, don’t care about what happens next.
Did you know that something like 10% of US citizens no longer live in the US? Our government doesn’t report these figures but other nations do. Two million are in South Korea, another two in UK. Between 1 and 2 million live in Mexico. Another two in Saudi Arabia. And it goes on: Portugal, Costa Rica, etc. These are civilians who retain their citizenship while living full time in another country. It’s called the American Diaspora, the causes including the violence in our society, cost of college, jobs, cost of healthcare. If it weren’t for immigrants, we’d have a serious worker shortage and economic crisis. People from places that are worse are coming while citizens crushed by politics based on greed are leaving.
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Celebrities are much more influential than people realise. Subliminal messages have always existed to engage and feed our subconscious mind. Switching off your internet, television or radio does not mean it’s not actively happening. Parents are perplexed how to protect their children’s innocence as alternate agenda and lifestyle is being drip-fed slowly via many avenues we’re exposed to, including the media.
The largest proportion of TikTok users are aged 10 – 19 years of age. Viral videos being seen by hundreds of millions sometimes billions are indoctrinating the minds of the future in not so positive ways.
Unfortunately, it’s impossible to switch your mind off to what is actively happening, no matter how warped or uncomfortable that might be. What one may not take seriously, 1,000,000 might and evidently mirror. TikTok is widely successful due to how easy it is to capture and engage an audience. A marketeers dream. Destination? Unknown.
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Advertisers want you to believe in subliminal messages because it keeps them in business when there is scant hard data showing that ads have any impact at all on consumer behavior. Same with so-called influencers. When you look at the full array of stimuli hitting consumers, it’s difficult to quantify much of a role for influencers. To almost every human truth, there are the occasional exceptions, but the unicorns highlight just how rare they are.
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Simplifying a multi billion pound industry accurately involves referring to the definitive facts, figures and evidence associated. Without that, all that remains is an opinion which we can rightly exercise.
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Or sometimes, as certain politicians demonstrate, we can turn a blind eye to reality and spin a fantasy world.
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On this specific topic concerning infidelity, generally speaking a legal binding contract like a marriage certificate make it a reality. Fantasy worlds do exist though, dependent on one’s outlook of reality, but it’s not my place to question that.
Have a great week Vic, and thankyou for your thought-provoking insight!😃🤍
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Your very welcome and be safe. Contracts are subject to law and illegal contracts aren’t enforceable. By that common standard, co-called “shotgun” marriages are never valid contracts as coercion invalidates an agreement.
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Antonia, I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but there’s always a “hot” topic in the news. Someone does something ridiculous that enrages everyone; this has been going on for a long time, and many historical courses deal with similar difficulties.
I try not to get involved in other people’s drama and instead concentrate on my growth and well-being, my family, and the people I care about. The rest is merely background noise, which we can easily turn off by choosing what music to listen to, what stories to read, and who to keep close to.
There should be a logical reason for establishing boundaries, and we should continue to be our best selves, trusting that our God in heaven will protect us. Have a great week ahead! 😊
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Most definitely it’s our choice as human beings if we wish to turn a blind eye to what is evidently transitioning through society.
Many of us sit back until the workings of indoctrination find their way on our doorstep. But there’s a bigger picture out there than just our immediate vision.
By choosing what music to play you have to determine what is good or not. For that to happen, naivety only clouds what you may foresee.
Thankyou so much Katherine, hope you have a great week too!😃🫶
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I’ve noticed there’s a lot of subliminal messaging going on in the contemporary music industry.
And a lot of it seems to be promoting infidelity and adultery.
A friend of mine seriously wonders whether today’s music superstars haven’t sold their souls to the Devil somehow.
And after researching a lot of the lyrics, I’m starting to wonder whether that person isn’t right.
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Definitely. Many music videos nowadays portray demonic imagery and symbolism without filter. It’s so normalised, people copy it on platforms like TikTok and in everyday life. Sometimes even very impressionable young children. I find it interesting that so many nowadays just want to turn a blind eye until it’s too late then they call for change. Or if it harms their child. If it’s Sue’s down the road, for example – not their problem. I didn’t realise how common and encouraged it is to not question or shed light on topics unless it harms you.
That itself is very self-serving making me wonder how many children are being raised in households that seem almost suppressed, not reacting until things happen. I thought we’d all been warned to observe and limit online activity children have access to. It’s seems to be a choice that some wish to stay consciously blinded.
Very interesting.
It seems as though free speech should be limited to selected few. It’s mind boggling that people don’t realise the power and influence some musicians for example have. Billions of people listening or following them, but that doesn’t translate to other avenues? It’s almost unbelievable how desensitised and numb some have become to reality. The numbers speak for themselves.
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The profound analysis you have written here is very true.
And definitely spells trouble for all of humanity.
Yes, people only seem to become concerned if it affects them personally or affects their children.
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You know if people are married and decide that someone else is what they need to be happy and fulfilled, then they should have the courage to end the marriage and move with who ever the fulfilling party maybe. If not it only makes that party a tool of self gratification. Is it fair to them that they sit and wait for a happening that may never occur, while the married person gets fulfilled in everyway? As far as the celebrities are concerned…. they live in a world apart from the general public, don’t give them more credit than is due. They’re just making money! Buyer beware…
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I think that’s the issue, people are ending their marriage after already pursuing someone else, usually after they’re caught. You’re meant to end the marriage prior by obtaining a divorce or at least beginning proceedings. Indifferent to the pedestal people think they’re on, if a party is actively married, the boundary is already there. Especially if young children are involved, unfortunately a status does not excuse a disregard as your actions are harming all those involved in the marriage. Whether that’s a husband, wife or kids. No amount of money or status changes the facts. It’ll change the child’s life forever. Some don’t realise until it happens to them then they’re a single parent one day experiencing the struggles that brings. The responsibility of life solely on your shoulders doesn’t lessen due to money. Sure it gives you resources, but it doesn’t change 1) a living breathing human that you’ve brought into this world, 2) a legal binding marriage’s status until you obtain a divorce.
A broken family is still a broken family on planet earth. You can gift wrap it, put the point stands which is pretty sad if you look at it.
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I agree, but if they’ve gotten the divorce with an expectation of the other doing the same, it doesn’t seem fair that they’re left wondering if they were hasty in believing the relationship was solid and mutual. The children must always be the first consideration, though.
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In this scenario, evidentially both parties were still in active marriages with divorces not settled. It’s interesting how little spouses are respected or acknowledged in today’s society. Vows are there for a reason, marriages are hard work. The grass shouldn’t ever be greener in the form of another being. Marriage is meant to be for the long haul and not just the good days. The turnover nowadays is rapid. Too many get married without fully understanding what comes with the union. That’s why many end up in divorce.
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It’s hard to argue with. Sometimes, when people are in bad marriage, no amount of work can save it. And they go in search of others that are in the same situation. Not that’s not wrong, but they need love and support they’re not finding at home. Great post!😊😉
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