When Sabrina Carpenter announced Man’s Best Friend, shockwaves rippled across the internet over the provocative cover of her on all fours with an anonymous man pulling her hair. The masses believed an album promoting male dominance was underway that would set women back decades. Instead, Carpenter provided a scathing commentary on the state of modern dating. Upon hearing the lyrics of “Manchild” or “My Man on Willpower,” for example, it became clear that the album cover was a powerful satire. At the end of the day, we live in a patriarchal society, and hookup culture ultimately benefits men more than women. And more often than not, it is at the expense of the woman.
There’s a word in German, schadenfreude, pronounced (shah-duhn-froy-de), that encapsulates this power imbalance perfectly. The closest translation is “deriving joy and pleasure from witnessing someone else’s pain and most humiliating moments”. Time after time, men see the vulnerable side of women they’re hooking up with under the pretense that it could lead to something serious, and then they ghost. Subsequently, they happily skip off to the next girl to ruin. Bonus points if he was interested first and then marvels over how humiliating it is for you to look like a fan. Carpenter highlights the conspicuous power imbalance inherent to a situationship, as the album chronicles the typical timeline of such a dynamic. Getting wet at the thought of someone comes with a reasonable ask: being responsible and respectful to women. Shouldn’t be a lot to ask, right?
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You’re probably wondering why I’m discussing an album that dropped back in August, especially since Life of a Showgirl came out so recently. I’m still at the restaurant! Man’s Best Friend simply gets better with each listen, like a Richard Linklater film. Behind upbeat lyrics lies a reckoning with trust issues, as the current dating climate makes you wonder if you’re ever worthy of being loved (yes, you are). The types of guys Carpenter describes in this album should serve as a wake-up call to men everywhere. Man’s Best Friend highlights an alarming new normal, where one is hard-pressed to find a man they can believe to be consistent. Asking for the bare minimum is perceived as a marriage proposal. We’ve reached a point where gestures like paying on the first date, buying flowers, or remaining faithful feel out of reach when it’s the least he can do. It’s become a turn-on simply because we live in a world where liking someone’s Instagram story is considered courting. Or if a guy is kind, affectionate, honest, and has a good sense of humor, it feels like a unicorn sighting, but it shouldn’t. Yet here we are. Love isn’t meant to be tragic, nor is sex.
Somehow, manipulation and gaslighting have become standard practice. WDYM he was interested first, then all of a sudden, he isn’t? This is another motif Carpenter explores at great length, the shock factor that comes from guys doing a complete 180 when the relationship had such potential. With the passage of time, it becomes increasingly difficult to distinguish love bombing from genuine sentiments. Carpenter pours her heart out about this album, emphasizing the devastating feeling of being wanted only for your body, and explains why no woman should feel that way. In typical Sabrina fashion, she really doesn’t give a f*ck and does not hold back lyrically on clocking boys for being immature. She showcases the male proclivity toward schadenfreude rather than building genuine connections with women by calling out how insane hookup culture is. However, Carpenter still embraces her own sexuality and stands on business in terms of waiting for the right man. That’s why she resonates with so many young women. Man’s Best Friend is no exception.
Image via @chandlerbingcrazy on Instagram
It’s human nature to want to be loved, cared for, and even dreamt about. Regard for lust is short-lived and gets old fast. We’ve progressed so much as a society, or at least we’d like to think we have, yet guys still see girls as playthings rather than human beings with substance, worthy of empathy and compassion. Of course, this is toxic masculinity 101, but enough is enough. The takeaway isn’t that men are trash, it’s that dating in this generation is pathetic. For the sake of humanity, there needs to be a balance between the sexual liberation of this generation and the prudence of our parents’ generation. When in history has swinging from one absolute extreme to the other ever led anywhere good? Rather than overcorrect, let’s just commit to not wasting anybody’s time, including our own, on people who do not deserve it. After all, goodbye means that you’re losing me for life!
Man’s Best Friend is available to stream wherever you get your music.
About Evelyn Young
Evelyn is a senior from the Chicago area majoring in Digital Media Practices and Jewish Studies with a minor in French. This past summer, she studied creative writing in Paris. Evelyn has held a variety of positions within the Crescent and is incredibly excited to begin her role as Senior Editor. After graduating from Tulane, she hopes to move to Los Angeles to pursue her film career.
Evelyn is a senior from the Chicago area majoring in Digital Media Practices and Jewish Studies with a minor in French. This past summer, she studied creative writing in Paris. Evelyn has held a variety of positions within the Crescent and is incredibly excited to begin her role as Senior Editor. After graduating from Tulane, she hopes to move to Los Angeles to pursue her film career.
