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Perspective: I'd rather be a Swiftie...

AI prompt: Taylor Swift as President of the United States
Pixlr AI
AI prompt: Taylor Swift as President of the United States

It seems that our cultural and political life has been torn between two models, two individuals who couldn't be more different from one another. One is a man, former president, and current candidate, known for his intense speeches and statements. The other, a young woman, singer and songwriter, accomplished performer in sold-out shows. Even though they're not in open competition, they've been occupying the national stage. Despite their apparent differences, there's one condition they share: they're both wealthy.

 

How they became rich is another story. One of them worked hard from an early age, made a path in an industry hostile to most outsiders, and ended up crossing over genres, demographics, and markets thanks to her sheer creativity. What about the other? He just inherited money.

 

Which of them truly represents the American dream as a self-made individual? Which of them illustrates the grit and determination that guided this country through its worse moments?

 

We all know who I'm talking about, and we should admit that, when it comes to moral authority, the singer and songwriter has what it takes to speak about success and self-reliance. Her human qualities make her the model to follow. So, even though I'm not her target audience and will never attend one of her concerts, my obvious choice of labels is to be a swiftie. In fact, I'm ready for it!

 

I am Francisco Solares-Larrave, and this is my perspective.

A Guatemalan native, he arrived in the United States in the late eighties on a Fulbright Scholarship to do graduate studies in comparative literature at the University of Illinois in Champaign Urbana. He has been teaching Spanish language, literature and culture at NIU since August 2000, and his main research interests are 19th-century Spanish American literature.