The #SomeoneisOverParty: My Thoughts and Confusion About The Internet Trend

So, as I’m writing this, I’m 30 years old which means in some people’s eyes I’m old. I don’t see it that way, but since 2016 or so every time a new internet meme, trend, or phrase floats around I’m faced with an overwhelming amount of confusion about the meaning of it. One of those trends is what I call in my head the #SomeoneisOverParty.

The first time I ever saw it was in the summer of 2016. That was the summer of #TaylorSwiftisOverParty trended on Twitter. This happened three years ago and it apparently started a hashtag trend that continues to this day. (At least, that’s what my research has brought me to the conclusion of) I need to admit, I had strong feelings about the Taylor Swift hashtag and the happenings around what it was a huge deal back in 2016, and those feelings are still strong (If not stronger) to this day. Because of this, I’m not going to talk about my thoughts and feelings about the origination of the Taylor Swift hashtag and it’s influence on the internet, but instead what I call the #SomoneisOverParty that is used in some variation to this day, as well as my confusion about trying to get a clear definition as to what this hashtag actually means.As with every catchphrase or trend from the internet, it doesn’t have a defined definition until well after the the catchphrase or trend is established and known offline and in real life. What puzzles me though, is this trend doesn’t have an exact definition. The best I could do, while figuring out what this hashtag means for my own curiosity, is this inquiry on Quora asking about the meaning behind the phrase “someone is over party”. It doesn’t explain much to me that I already knew, but it was surprising to me that that’s the best thing I could find thus far about the phrase. So, I turned to the Urban Dictionary and found this definition for the phrase “over party”. This definition did help me understand what the “over party” means, but it doesn’t answer all my questions.

Over the past few years, I’ve seen many #SomeoneisOverParty hashtags with the someone in question was a well known celebrity or social media influencer. The reasons why the hashtags started varied, but, from my understanding and research, most of them started because the person said something very controversial and was insulting and/or racist. Even though I can see why social media would become angry with certain well known people because of what they did and/or said, there was #SomeoneisOverParty trends that was, in might eyes, generated from comments that was not insulting or racist, but just confusing. So, knowing that the #SomeoneisOverParty trend can apply to anyone and what they say or do, no matter what the context is, what does the hashtag really mean and how should is be used?

To be honest, I really don’t know. In the three years since the #TaylorSwiftisOverParty hashtag popped up, nobody online really identified a clear cut definition. (Unless you count the “over party” definition on Urban Dictionary.) Also, I didn’t find articles on the definition and the development of the use of the term. Since the use of it can still be called ambiguous, I want to talk about what the hashtag means to me. And in order to do that, I will talk about the summer of 2016 and the first use of the hashtag I ever saw.

Back in the summer of 2016, Taylor Swift did some things that was so uncharacteristic of her public persona it was surprising and shocking. Even though people were surprised by her actions, there was those who didn’t care for her much. Even though Taylor was seen as an unstoppable force in the music industry, she wasn’t liked by everyone, a reality that everyone, no matter how nice or well they get along with others, must sometimes face. So, when her actions contradicted her public persona, the people who didn’t like her came out in full force and spoke their minds. And they did it with a hashtag.

So, remembering (Or knowing) why this is the reason why many people became aware of the hashtag makes the reason behind it more clear as well as confirms the Urban Dictionary’s definition, in my eyes, as correct.

But there is always a catch. Anyone can be the target of an “over party” for anything. It can be something serious. A raciest comment, a sexist action, doing something illegal that was done knowing that they can get away with it due to their notoriety would make sometime the target of an “over party”. But sometimes a person can be targeted unfairly for an “over party” simply because they are not liked by certain people as a way of cyber bulling. Although an “over party” as a way of cyber bulling is not very common, it does happen, and many Swifters back in 2016 saw Taylor’s “over party” was a way of cyber bulling her.

Like I said before, I will not say what my opinions are of the #TaylorSwiftisOverParty, what she did in 2016, or where I stand on it or now, but I will say that what she did or did not do back then influenced the way many people talk about well known people they are tried of hearing of. And without that knowledge, the “over party” or #SomeoneisOverParty would not exist in it’s current form.

That’s all for now! Thank you for reading!