There Were No Winners in the Sabrina Carpenter Debate

worry that the persecution complex that drives so much social-media discourse is robbing us of the ability to have productive discussions—about what it really means for a woman to be in control of her image or to “own” her sexuality. Is that even possible in this patriarchal, profit-obsessed society? Great art requires artists, of course, but it al... See more

In reality, though, with the exception of those who are slut-shaming Carpenter for blatantly misogynistic reasons, it is possible to have a nuanced debate on this topic. Social media encourages us to oversimplify issues—and express our angriest feelings—for engagement purposes, but there are legitimate views on different sides here, because no matt... See more

The lack of nuance between the two main camps—“yas kween!” and “stone her to death!”—was dispiriting. It reveals a worrying decline in media literacy in which social media encourages a flattened view, where moral righteousness and absolutism are projected onto complicated issues. If the purpose of art is to spark debate, Carpenter has certainly suc... See more