The dark truth behind Taylor Swift's picture-perfect engagement

Less than 20 minutes after Taylor Swift posted photos celebrating her engagement to Travis Kelce to Instagram, the comments section filled with young fans warning her to get a prenup or to resist taking Travis’ last name.

For the fanbase, this engagement was an exciting personal achievement, but one that was not meant to be overshadowed by her individual professional achievements. They didn’t want to lose sight of the brand Swift has meticulously crafted over the past two decades.

Their engagement is touted as the ideal American relationship — but it’s not.

Swift is something of a marketing genius, constantly altering her image and music to adapt to what is culturally relevant. This skill for promotion reached its peak when she began dating Kelce, a relationship that was exhaustingly promoted by everyone from TMZ to the NFL.

Perfect illusion

Seeing the couple take the next step in their relationship is, generally, a good thing. Many conservatives rushed to defend the couple against those who were weary after the endless, inescapable coverage of their romance.

Their defense was correct: It is good for young people to see examples of healthy relationships ending in marriage. Swift, one of the most profitable musicians of all time, has become a cultural icon who many young women look up to. Seeing her mature into marriage is an encouraging illustration for her loyal fanbase.

But it's also a kind of illusion.

Swift and Kelce, both 35 years old, are millionaires several times over. They each have achieved international stardom, forging lives, careers, and fame long before they began building a life together. Their combined net worth is a number that would make most Americans laugh as they fret over the price of eggs, gas, and college.

Their engagement is touted as the ideal American relationship — but it’s not. Their engagement came only after they first pursued individual personal success. They waited until their mid-30s to begin the marital process, instead expending their younger years focusing on worldly success above all else.

They will likely never have to worry about mortgages or grocery bills, their children will probably never have to save money for college, and their age of retirement will not be based on financial necessity. Their coming marriage is entirely different from the typical American marriage.

Broken blueprint

But why is that a bad thing?

In a recent poll of Gen Z Americans, 34% of men who voted for President Donald Trump said that having children is the most important part of their personal definition of success. Of that same group, 29% defined their personal success by being married. On the other hand, 51% women who voted for Kamala Harris said the most important definition of personal success is having a fulfilling job or career. Shockingly, only 6% of those women believe that having children or being married are definitions of success. Even women who voted for Trump ranked their financial independence and career success above familial obligations.

It’s no secret that our culture is divided. But this polling reveals where the line is drawn and how deeply it's splitting society apart. Young women, who make up a large portion of Swift’s audience, are focused on fiscal obligations. Young conservative men, who are seeking family life above all else, are the outliers.

Gen Z sees marriage as something that can only come after they have achieved financial independence and professional success. Wherein marriage was once the foundation of a healthy, thriving society, it's now the capstone on a fully established life.

Need more proof? Shortly after World War II, the median age for marriage was between 20 and 22. Today, that number is much closer to 30. Meanwhile, between 1900 and 2022, the U.S. marriage rate dropped by almost 60%.

Twisted priorities

Pundits use a plethora of excuses for these changes. They blame financial insecurity, inflation rates, crime statistics, souring housing prices, and societal disasters, like 9/11, the 2008 financial crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic. But wars, famines, and periods of uncertainty have always been a part of the human experience.

The real problem is rooted in how young people are now taught to view marriage.

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Zoomers are taught that personal identity and financial success are life's greatest achievements. Public schools relentlessly promote college education as the predominant adolescent accomplishment and cite university degrees as distinguished identities. A secure bank account and a high-yield stock portfolio are championed above building families.

The feminist movement has clearly made this problem much more severe for young women. As seen in the polling, women are subjected to this financial enslavement regardless of political affiliation. And as feminism wormed its way into every aspect of our culture, it removed the value of being a loving wife and mother. From an early age, young girls are told that they have been freed from the "oppression" of familial duties. Instead, they are encouraged to build corporate, highly marketable identities.

It’s good to see Swift and Kelce take on the responsibility of marriage. But the idea that marriage is the capstone of an economically viable partnership is a rejection of the natural order.

Fans who want to see Swift sign a prenup and refuse to change her name are the manifestation of a confused generation. They have been taught to think that it's better to isolate the individual for their valuable branding rather than find peace in the glory of marriage.