Does Rihanna’s latest video glorify:

1) violence

2) violence against men

3) vigilante justice

4) crimes of passion

?

1) it is violent, though that fact does not make it glorify anything. If anything it is a realistic depiction of a human situation. All the controversy is misplaced.

2) well clearly there is something romanticized about the idea of "hell has no fury like a woman scorned". And somehow, you get the sense that if this was a video about a man killing a woman who horned him things would not be the same. Yet, is there not a double standard in criticizing women in positions of power enacting violence and not doing the same for men? Thus

3) what may be wrong about this is that is romanticizes vigilante justice in general. Or does it? Is this video social document or normative standard? After all it is just a pop video. And actually it is one of the few videos out there reflecting something that is unfortunately very real.

4) doubtful.

Thus, to me, the most pressing question in this video is: WHAT IS RIHANNA WEARING?