Why I Don't Like Lady Gaga

Hi, I'm experiencing a lack of desperately important duties at present, so I shall now bestow upon you yet another opinionated rant. Because, of course, there aren't enough of those on the internet already. ;-) And of all the rants I have inside of me, the one you'll be getting today goes thus:

A Fun List of Reasons Why I Do Not Like Lady Gaga

I don't mean to say that I don't like Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, because I don't actually know her, as a person, and probably never shall. Buuuut for the spectacle entitled 'Lady Gaga' I have a deep and abiding dislike.

Reason 1: She is neither a 'Lady' nor is she 'Gaga'
When I say 'Lady', I mean it as a distinction from mere 'person of the female sex'. I believe that the term 'lady' (apart from its traditional use as a handle for female members of the peerage) should be a term of respect earned by those who bear it: i.e., 'Mother Teresa was such a great lady'. I may be just underinformed, but of all the behaviours Lady Gaga is famous for I can't think of a single one that could possibly be described as 'ladylike' by anyone's standards.
When I say that Lady Gaga isn't 'gaga', what do I mean? According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, gaga means 'slightly mad, typically as a result of old age, infatuation, or excessive enthusiasm'. To a completely unworldly spectator, Gaga's actions, dress, whatever, might seem to be correctly described as more than 'slightly' mad, but to anyone who has ever heard of a PR stunt (or anyone who has thought about it for a moment) it becomes completely obvious that her madness is the result of a sanity so calculating and cold that it freezes the mind. And it isn't even original. David Bowie, Kiss, Madonna and hundreds of other musicians have all used elements of the bizarre and shocking to get public attention and sell music. She isn't mad, not really. It's an attention seeking ploy. Which brings us to

Reason 2: Her 'Art'
Another weird thing about Lady Gaga; she actually has talent. I won't say she's just a hyped up starlet (that too, though) because she is in possession of an actual talent. The woman can sing. She can write songs. Successful songs, too. She has more style than, say, Kei$ha (who blatantly rips her off at every turn), though I can't admire her aesthetic. What I find so depressing about Gaga's talent though, is her hideous abuse of it. Art is power. With great power comes... you guessed it, I'm going to quote Spiderman like a boss... great responsibility. I won't argue that she shouldn't make dance music - some of it is darn catchy and I can respect the enjoyability quotient of dance music, even if I don't like it. What frustrates me about Gaga is how she takes her own ability to create a successful product and uses it to create successful things that are ugly and expressive of ugliness: "...when art is not in the service of heaven, it is almost always in the service of hell." Her creations are always skillful - but does she ever create anything expressive of untainted beauty? No.

Reason 3: Pandering to a sexualised culture
Lady Gaga has many, many fans Without them she could have no success as a performer. And many of these many fans happen to be young girls. Her 'little monsters'. As a famous, successful woman who has the ear of so very many young girls, does Gaga use this (yet another great power in her possession) to give them anything useful? Is she an acceptable role model for these young women? I'll let you answer that one for yourself.
But, continuing with the ranty rant, let's discuss another factor in her massive sellout. We've already talked about her use of cheap shocks, (exhibit A: dress made of meat) and her abuse of talent (exhibit B: every video in which we are given that which is grotesque and stomach turning, rather than that which is exquisite and wonderful), now let us touch upon her bizarre and ghastly use of sex in this, her art. Personally, and I know this is a whole other rant that I can give you some other time, I believe that sex is a brilliant, wonderful gift. For two people to completely give themselves to each other and unite to make each other happy and express their love - that's great! But sex is a complex creature. For instance, it creates babies. And when used in the correct capacity it creates a mighty bond between a man and a woman that should not be broken. My stance is a teensy bit predictable. Only between married people who are permanently committed to one another and the children they might create. I also believe that sex is an intimate and private thing. Of course, the culture in which I dwell prefers to differ. Sex is cheap now, like the life of an unborn child. Sex, not the beautiful expression of love, but the quick, forgettable solution for a selfish lust, is everywhere. Plastered all over everything. And used to sell everything. Including music. I have seldom been as disgusted by the use of this cheapened sad sex as I have in Lady Gaga's music and videos. Uuuuugh.

Too depressed to go on. Besides, you can probably finish this yourself, based on what I've already said. I do hate to be predictable, but there it is.

Music and art, unlike truth and faith, are things that are subjective and ephemeral, so don't feel bad if, for whatever reason, you like Lady Gaga. I actually don't dislike her music very much, apart from its meaning - I've done an embarrassing head bop to Just Dance more than once, just like everybody else... but, like truth and faith, music and art are great things to discuss. Yay!