The obvious undercurrent is that cultural critics need to make this shit seem important. If they canʼt convince you that the hype matters, they donʼt get paid and with a dwindling number of actual paying gigs, the thirst becomes more desperate. The internet has paradoxically placed the written word at a premium, but the availability of content has caused publishers to stop paying for it. There are a million aspiring journalists and we all canʼt get a staff position at the Times. The Lana Del Rey phenomenon happened for no other reason than a couple of music writers needed to pitch something to their magazines and once an artist becomes controversial, its becomes easier (and more profitable) to write about the “controversy” even when its completely asinine and inorganic. “Haters” generate page views and because you want that check, suddenly the girl who wrote a sad, little song about her inattentive boyfriend becomes an avatar for all that is wrong with popular music. You juke the stats and section editors become managing editors. Or better yet, you don’t get fired.
