# Time Person of the Year 2023 **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 22, 2023, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2023/988925 "2023-08-22T15:31:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2023, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2023/988925/121 "2023-12-05T18:03:16Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > Remembering Time’s criteria that the title should go to the person or thing that “for better or for worse… has done the most to influence the events of the year,” I’m wondering about the inclusion of Barbie and King Charles III in the shortlist. Barbie is the title character in an entertaining and fun movie, but I don’t know if she and/or the film fit the criteria. > > And all Charles did was formally ascend the throne. In fairness, “influencing the events of the year” is not part of his job description; and I’m sure that if he attempted to, the people of the Commonwealth would drop him faster than a hot potato. And accordingly, outside of the coronation ceremony last May, he’s not been in the news much. I have a feeling King Charles is there mainly because his predecessor was the first Time Woman of the Year when she became Queen. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2023, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2023/988925/122 "2023-12-05T18:04:13Z")
> [@MandaJo](#): > > > [@Spoons](#): > > > > Barbie is the title character in an entertaining and fun movie, but I don’t know if she and/or the film fit the criteria. > > I can see something very important in the Barbie/Taylor Swift axis: if the “girl next door” is shifting left, that’s an important political realignment. Forgive my ignorance, but I’m curious now. Is there a political component to the Barbie movie or Taylor Swift? And is it left of center? I assumed they were either apolitical or, in Ms. Swift’s case, right of center. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2023, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2023/988925/123 "2023-12-05T18:23:48Z")
Barbie was as woke as can be. It mocked the old Barbie stereotype. Taylor Swift is a Liberal. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2023, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2023/988925/124 "2023-12-05T19:08:21Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > Barbie was as woke as can be. It mocked the old Barbie stereotype And not in an annoying way but as part of an enjoyable story. Which still annoyed the usual suspects, but making a billion in the first month made many of them shut up and grumble to themselves. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2023, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2023/988925/125 "2023-12-05T19:08:51Z")
Taylor Swift was publically apolitical until 2018, when she endorsed several Democrats. The far right lost their mind over this, as, again, they thought she was their secret princess. Conservatives likewise boycotted Barbie for being “woke”. The Swift endorsements are potentially a big deal, as she is seen as having the ability to bring out the vote in a serious way. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2023, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2023/988925/126 "2023-12-05T19:47:10Z")
> [@MandaJo](#): > > Taylor Swift was publically apolitical until 2018, when she endorsed several Democrats. The far right lost their mind over this, as, again, they thought she was their secret princess. > > Conservatives likewise boycotted Barbie for being “woke”. Thank you. This makes me happy. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2023, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2023/988925/127 "2023-12-06T13:24:58Z")
And the nod goes to…[Taylor Swift](https://time.com/6342806/person-of-the-year-2023-taylor-swift/) ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2023, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2023/988925/128 "2023-12-06T17:34:36Z")
I guess I was right even though I retracted my statement earlier as I didn’t think they would do two Taylor special issues. But, her fans buy merch and this could be the first magazine many of her fans have ever purchased. I do think think the bean counters were in control for both Person of the Year and Sportsperson of the Year, sell magazines no matter what. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2023, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2023/988925/129 "2023-12-06T17:49:53Z")
I just scanned through the list of previous Persons of the Year and it seems this is the first time it’s gone to an entertainer of any kind. Quite remarkable! ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2023, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2023/988925/130 "2023-12-06T17:56:57Z")
“Clickbait of the Year” ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2023, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2023/988925/131 "2023-12-06T18:07:55Z")
George Santos was robbed! ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2023, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2023/988925/132 "2023-12-06T18:08:48Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > > [@MandaJo](#): > > > > > [@Spoons](#): > > > > > > Barbie is the title character in an entertaining and fun movie, but I don’t know if she and/or the film fit the criteria. > > > > I can see something very important in the Barbie/Taylor Swift axis: if the “girl next door” is shifting left, that’s an important political realignment. > > Forgive my ignorance, but I’m curious now. Is there a political component to the Barbie movie or Taylor Swift? And is it left of center? I assumed they were either apolitical or, in Ms. Swift’s case, right of center. Taylor Swift is Woke. Many on the right assumed she was one of them, and then flipped out when it became clear she is not. For example, and a fun video, _You Need to Calm Down_ [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Dkk9gvTmCXY/maxresdefault.jpg "Taylor Swift - You Need To Calm Down") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dkk9gvTmCXY) ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2023, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2023/988925/133 "2023-12-06T18:14:38Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > Taylor Swift is Woke. Many on the right assumed she was one of them, and then flipped out when it became clear she is not. Okay, so the Person of the Year selection has done some good. I learned something and heard a new song. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2023, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2023/988925/134 "2023-12-06T20:54:38Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > George Santos was robbed! George who? By next year he will be as stale as month-old bread. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2023, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2023/988925/135 "2023-12-07T06:12:33Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > For example, and a fun video, _You Need to Calm Down_ Oh, that’s priceless! The protesters with signs saying, “Get a brain, morans!” And was that Ellen Degeneres in a scene? I did recognize RuPaul. Great video, and it gets her message across. Thanks for sharing that! ---
**Author:** ![saje](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saje/32/3631_2.png) [@saje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saje)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2023, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2023/988925/136 "2023-12-07T11:24:33Z")
I’ve been rolling my eyes and scrolling past all the TS media hype, thinking it was all a bit overblown. Gotta say, that song and video might have changed my mind a bit! That was definitely fun, and … yeah, I may have been wrong in my snark level. Guess I need to go see what she’s about for myself. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2023, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2023/988925/137 "2023-12-07T11:45:15Z")
> [@saje](#): > > Guess I need to go see what she’s about for myself. I will once again, as in the CS thread, recommend what many (including myself) consider to be her magnum opus. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/sRxrwjOtIag/maxresdefault.jpg "All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor's Version) (From The Vault) (Lyric Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRxrwjOtIag) ---
**Author:** ![saje](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saje/32/3631_2.png) [@saje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saje)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2023, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2023/988925/138 "2023-12-07T11:59:01Z")
Dayum. Yeah. That’s really good. I think I’ve misjudged for sure. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2023, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2023/988925/139 "2023-12-07T12:07:53Z")
She made a boatload of money. She has talent. She took back her music. She’s a savvy business person. She’s in the news a lot. She’s dating someone famous. Does she meet the criteria of having the most impact? I don’t think so. She will sell a lot of magazines. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2023, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2023/988925/140 "2023-12-07T12:12:28Z")
> [@saje](#): > > Dayum. > > Yeah. That’s really good. It’s 10 minutes long but it leaves you thinking “Wait, it’s over already?” It’s easily the equal of some of the greatest songs of the classic rock era, IMO. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2023/988925.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-person-of-the-year-2023/988925.md?page=8)