a perceived threat, and the amygdala is the part of the brain to deal with these threats. This anger may build up and eventually lead to hatred, because either the threat isn’ t being resolved, or there is no reward received for this behavior. Therefore, an individual may rely on revenge in order to rid themselves of the frustration they are feeling.
Sigmund Freud popularized the notion of catharsis, which is the process of releasing, and getting relief from, strong or repressed emotions, which“ often takes the form of‘ releasing’ anger through aggressive acts( Chester).” This notion has become normalized, making aggression a“ viable means to replace negative affect with positive affect, which fuels aggressive behavior,”( Chester). Because of this normalcy, aggression and acting upon negative emotions has become a way to improve mood, which makes them feel less angry and frustrated. In the case of Swift, writing this song about revenge was her outlet for letting out her negative aggression and frustration, and being able to release a song about Belle and trashing her was her“ reward” for lashing out.
Lines that stick out in the song are those such as“ She’ s an actress / She’ s better known for the things that she does / On the mattress.” Swift attacks and demonizes Belle for her sexual reputation, and it has even been said that Swift“ slut-shames” her for being with her ex( Leszkiewicz), which has proved to be problematic within social commentary once feminism became a more popular idea in modern times. Swift has received much backlash, both from Belle and from listeners of the song. However, Swift probably received more satisfaction from being able to release the song and have her audience hear about the situation, which overshadowed the negative response from it. This can be assumed from the chorus’ s final hook,“ She should keep in mind / There is nothing I do better than revenge.” The title“ Better Than Revenge” also denotes a double meaning that references the songwriting process itself; not even revenge is better than writing a song about the person who wronged you.
Swift wrote this song in order to prove a point to her audience, and to her ex. Often times, when a woman is treated poorly in a relationship, they are blamed or criticized for being the problem, while men get away with things like cheating and going from woman to woman. Conversely, if a woman were to do these activities, they would be criticized for being a“ hoe” or“ slut,” automatically putting them in the wrong. By writing and releasing this song about her relationship and the situation that arose from it, she was able to comment on this problem in society in a constructive manner that clearly got her point across, while still getting the“ satisfaction” of being rewarded by getting revenge on the people that evoked her aggression and anger. While revenge may be portrayed a negative and destructive action towards others, it is a way to deal with the frustration and anger that one may feel, while getting satisfaction out of it and ultimately ridding oneself of the negative aggression. Whether this is effective or not is up to the avenger.
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