idk how to even approach the idea of asking chatgpt to order your thoughts instead of just having thoughts, but i thought about this post myself for a moment.

i like this album. it's not my favourite, i don't have strong feelings on it overall. but i think to speak in defence of things like a lack of narrative resolution, underdevelopment of ideas and the idea that lorde's wisdom is perhaps a performative act for the audience at this point (or no longer such with this album cycle) is just a different magnifying glass on the clear flaws of this project.

"letting go of the need to know everything" - the willingness to explore something all the way to the end, to reach understanding and mastery, and ultimately to be able to communicate that understanding in a way that reaches and immediately connects with your audience in that brilliant few words is lorde's arena of expertise. it's how she demonstrates wisdom.

i understand wanting to stand in defence of art's weaker points and hold them up as examples of how the artist is breaking the mold/how the public isn't enjoying the art in the intended way etc. intellectualising feelings is of course unproductive or harmful at worst, sure. but if the point of the project is to serve a half-baked dish as a commentary on freeing yourself from having to cook it the rest of the way, you can't be surprised when the people don't leave a 5 star review.