Popularity Corollary

Post Reply New Topic

I get the concept of "It's popular because people like it". I may not understand WHY people like the insipid or annoying things they do, but I get the concept. What I have never understood is the circular corollary which seems to dictate the behavior and preferences of "normal" people, i.e. "People like it because it's popular". All my life I've preferred Van Morrison over the Beatles, Richard Yates over To Kill a Mockingbird, black and white movies over special effects action flicks, etc., etc, etc., contributing to my being perceived (correctly) as a contrarian outcast.

I assume this is not an unusual Aspie scenario?

I feel the same way.
I only have to see a soap opera for five seconds to become annoyed.
Yet some brain deads sit and watch rubbish like that for hours.

I think part of the answer is that people listen to music, watch shows, etc., in part to connect with others. If all your friends listen to a silly sitcom, then if you listen to it too, you can talk about it and have the same references. I guess it is more interesting than talking about the weather...

I never did get that. It's like NTs are clones who seem to have a need to like what everybody else likes. They like things that are popular, because they seem to lack the logic and ability to think for themselves. I make up my mind about what I like, and that's that.

It's (Sorry can't avoid the negative conitations) Group-think. All social animals behave as a groups to some
extent. It probably makes more sense when you think in terms of tool use and other learned behaviors. If
one does it it might be a good idea, if many do it probably is. This assumption happens subcutaneously.

There is an experiment where the subject is placed with a group of actors. And they are asked to judge the longest
line from group of lines. One being visibly longer than the others. All the actors select the same wrong line
and most of the time the subject also selects the same line even though, on there own they would have picked
another.

Their mind assumes the group consensus is better than their individual opinion. The same effect is probably at play
with choices of music.