
The Federalist
The Federalist's Self-Proclaimed Bias
In September 2013, co-founder Ben Domenech, a conservative writer and TV commentator, wrote that The Federalist was inspired by the worldview of the original TIME magazine, which he described as "[leaning] to the political right, with a small-c conservatism equipped with a populist respect for the middle class reader outside of New York and Washington, and an abiding love for America at a time when snark and cynicism were not considered substitutes for smart analysis."
Domenech wrote that The Federalist would be informed by TIME's 1920s “list of prejudices” for the magazine, which included principles such as:
- A belief that the world is round and an admiration of the statesman’s view of all the world.
- A general distrust of the present tendency toward increasing interference by government.
- A prejudice against the rising cost of government.
- Faith in the things which money cannot buy.
- A respect for the old, particularly in manners.
- An interest in the new, particularly in ideas.
To the surprise of no one, corporate media darling Taylor Swift was named Time Magazine’s “Person of the Year” on Wednesday. In the lead-up to the announcement, Taylor Swift and her Eras Tour have dominated media headlines. Her hype has gotten so out of control that Harvard is now offering a class on Taylor Swift.
The question we all should be asking ourselves is why? Sure, her concerts have gone gangbusters this year, she has an undeniably devoted fan base, and her music is wildly well-known. As a 24-year-old woman, I know a thing or two about the Taylor Swift effect. Like every other female around my age, I listened to “Shake It Off” and “Our Song” in high school. Taylor Swift’s music, particularly the older stuff, evokes a palpable nostalgia shared by millennial and Gen Z women everywhere. But just because her music is popular, and for some sentimental, does not mean it’s good.