Taylor Swift just gave a masterclass in behavioural science.
In Honey, she talks about how words like âsweetheartâ and âhoneyâ were used to belittle her.
Passive-aggressive warnings at a bar, women critiquing her outfit in a bathroom.
These werenât terms of endearment; they were nasty put-downs.
Later in the song, her partner uses those exact same labels with affection. Suddenly "sweetheartâ and âhoneyâ are markers of intimacy rather than insults.
The meaning flips not because the word changed, but because the speaker did.
Same labels.
Different messenger.
Completely different meaning.
Thatâs the point: context changes everything.
We obsess over the message, but the message only works if the messenger and the moment are right.
A useful reminder that influence isnât just what you say, itâs who says it, and why.
Extract of lyrics:
When anyone called me "Sweetheart"
It was passive-aggressive at the bar
And the bitch was tellin' me to back off
'Cause her man had looked at me wrong
If anyone called me "Honey"
It was standin' in the bathroom, white teeth
They were sayin' that skirt don't fit me
And I cried the whole way home
You can call me "Honey" if you want because I'm the one you want
I'm the one you want
You give it different meaning 'cause you mean it when you talk
Sweetie, it's yours, kicking in doors
Take it to the floor, give me more
Buy the paint in the color of your eyes (of your eyes)
And graffiti my whole damn life
Honey
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