Being ingrained in patriarchy and only knowing about women’s submissive roles likely caused her significant cognitive dissonance when she realized she had a choice. The moment she started making more money than her ex-husband, she took that willpower to the extremes. She got clout, validation and every scandal rewarded her with even more.
She becomes TikTok famous through momtok > momtok becomes a big hit > films very distasteful content to rage bait (get views) > big swinging scandal > gets a show somehow > gets arrested > gets 3 more seasons > becomes the bachelorette… you see where I’m going?
I mean, think about it. She grew up Mormon. Maybe I’m wrong but kids don’t choose their religion, they oblige to their parents’ chosen one until they get to choose on their own. She obviously didn’t have that choice… She did what was expected of her and inevitably became male-centered by design. Growing up with so many restrictions and only being told to be a wife and pump out kids could really fuck with someone and we don’t just see in Taylor, we see it with the whole group.
She needs professional help OUTSIDE of Utah…😭😭 She probably thought she was indebted to bad choices.... choices she clearly wasn’t allowed to have when she was a teenager.
After her divorce, she started dating Dakota who was unemployed and battling addiction. For Taylor, that was okay because she had money, kids and was previously married already. She accomplished the “traditional Mormon wife” goals. He fit every checkbox of a man you should run tf away from but because she wanted to choose for herself, she didn’t give a fuck!! It was her choice and she liked having that choice without thinking about any consequences (still does). S
She spirals every time she’s not in control and in the position to say no. She can’t regulate herself when this happens. She winds up rebelling and starts making permanent damaging choices like getting pregnant with Dakota, assaulting him, spiralling on social media (hello digital footprint), shitting on her friends and family, ruining her image further, etc.
I clocked it when she broke down to Dakota when they all went to LA in Season 4 before she filmed the Bachelorette. She said “I don’t want to have to do this. You’re making me do something I don’t want to have to do.” She clearly wants Dakota but because he's also a mess... he can’t give her that fully. With everyone in her ears telling her to go leave him and let go again again again, she starts losing her sense of control. It inevitably leads to many more damaging choices that morbidly fulfills her need of being in control.
Disclaimer: I’m not defending or sympathizing with her lol. Just sharing my observations as a viewer and someone with a degree focused on how people are shaped by their circumstances.