Poll: Does the Popularity of Something Affect How Much You Like It?

[Seldon2639]

"There are times one remains faithful to a cause only because its opponents do not cease to be insipid."

I remember many times when I've said that because people I don't approve of do something, or like something. I'm remembering the Twilight movies (which were at least okay by themselves), which I was stalwart in not seeing. My friend finally called me out on my reluctance, saying that I allow others too much control over my opinions. Basically, any time something is popular with people I don't want to be associated with, I avoid it.

The same is true for "mainstream" things. And it seems that we all do it a lot. We pan mainstream games in lieu of "indie" titles. Is that because mainstream games are legitimately less creative or fun, or because we enjoy being indie and different?

Edit: I added a fifth option, for people who like things when they're more underground, and lose interest when it becomes mainstream.

 

[Biek]

Popular titles will get my attention first. Simply because ill learn about it one way or another. like TV, radio, newspaper etc. I dont mind it much as long as I dont get bored of over promotion. Wich is exactly what made me hate Kings of Leon.

I admit I sometimes feel a bit of pride when im into something underground. You know, when someone asks what music youve been listening to and you can name a few bands anyone hardly heard of. But I dont like things I like being judged "commercial", like the new prodigy album for example.

 

[nathan-dts]

Popularity of a product influences my decisions in whether or not to buy the product but I can decide for myself whether or not I like it.

When Metal Gear Solid 4 was being hyped up a few months before it's release I had never played a MGS game before. I decided to get the game due to the huge hype surrounding it, but I would have to finish the previous installments of the series. I can only say thank god for the hype around MGS4 because even while we are in the next generation of consoles, playing MGS3 a month before MGS4 game out was outstanding and is now my favourite game ever.

 

[RetiarySword]

It does, in a werid way for me. I was put off of gears of war and call of duty 4 for this reason: I heard TOO much about it. People were always talking about it and I just got sick of it.

Then I played CoD4 and GoW. I sort of liked one, and hated the other. Take a guess.

 

[JokerGrin]

I'd like to say that I'm totally equal with everything, but it just doesn't work that way. Popular things are more likely to get my attention first, that's just the way it goes, word of mouth and the like. Although, just because something's popular certainly doesn't mean I blindly assume it's good.

Shite (in my opinion) films like the American Pie series are one example I can think of.

 

[bjj hero]

And then there are those that like something until it becomes popular and gets a following. At that point they slate it for being mainstream/sellingout/old/boring/etc.

Ive been guilty of this a few times. I liked High School Musical when it was underground...

 

[Nexus424]

This is actually a perfect description of my feelings for Fallout 3. I just never understood the praise it got. Every time I tried to give it the benefit of the doubt because everyone else said it was cool my brain would kick in and say "What the hell you didn't like Oblivion and this is just Oblivion with guns DO NOT WANT" Maybe its just my taste or maybe its popularity or maybe even some mix of the two who knows.

On another note...

Then I played CoD4 and GoW. I sort of liked one, and hated the other. Take a guess.

I liked them both so I'm not sure. Which one?

 

[ae86gamer]

Yeah I played Halo and didn't like but then I played CoD4 and now I'm hooked

 

[NeutralDrow]

The popularity of something tends to affect whether or not I know about something. From there, I make my own judgments.

On the other hand, I've had numerous instances of being favorably inclined towards characters, games, or the like that people hate, or made me like the character/game/thing all the more. Partly to spite people, partly because I have different standards anyway.

See: Dragonforce and Heaven's Feel (and Sakura Matou by extension), off the top of my head.

 

[Madshaw]

i look at the average people in my country, and see so many fans of shite like lady gaga or what ever and loosers on facebook, so of course im wary of what is popular. Other things like games are different because the gaming niche tends not to attract so many of the faceless masses, but with most things in life that is true for me.

 

[TwistedEllipses]

I'm automatically hostile to stuff that is popular, but they can win me round...

 

[Xvito]

I don't have an iPod, I don't have a Mac, I don't have a Wii, I don't have an iPhone, hell, I don't even have an ordinary Cellphone, I use Linux, I'm not religious, I'm not a fashion victim, I don't use any deodorants and I really don't care anything at all about being popular.

I'll let you be the judge...

PS. I hate MySpace, Facebook etc. etc.

 

[Fairee]

My opinion tends to have an inverse relationship (yes, i probably have the maths term wrong, and totally out of context, but it's been almost three years) to popularity. Eg, the more popular something is, the less I like it. And the more someone recommends something, the less I tend to like it.

Want me to enjoy a game/film/band? Tell me they suck and should be killed.

Only exception being networking websites.

 

[SmilingKitsune]

My opinion tends to have an inverse relationship (yes, i probably have the maths term wrong, and totally out of context, but it's been almost three years) to popularity. Eg, the more popular something is, the less I like it. And the more someone recommends something, the less I tend to like it.

Want me to enjoy a game/film/band? Tell me they suck and should be killed.

Only exception being networking websites.

Phantom hourglass is so bad whenever you play it a kitten dies.

 

[Fairee]

My opinion tends to have an inverse relationship (yes, i probably have the maths term wrong, and totally out of context, but it's been almost three years) to popularity. Eg, the more popular something is, the less I like it. And the more someone recommends something, the less I tend to like it.

Want me to enjoy a game/film/band? Tell me they suck and should be killed.

Only exception being networking websites.

Phantom hourglass is so bad whenever you play it a kitten dies.

Whoah. Wasn't expecting anyone to actually go that far.

Everyone keeps saying that game is so great though. Ah, you're trying to make me play on it on purpose. (Just proved my stupidity but hey, things can't get worse, right??)

Actually, that one of the few I was planning to buy when I get my DS.

 

[SmilingKitsune]

My opinion tends to have an inverse relationship (yes, i probably have the maths term wrong, and totally out of context, but it's been almost three years) to popularity. Eg, the more popular something is, the less I like it. And the more someone recommends something, the less I tend to like it.

Want me to enjoy a game/film/band? Tell me they suck and should be killed.

Only exception being networking websites.

Phantom hourglass is so bad whenever you play it a kitten dies.

Whoah. Wasn't expecting anyone to actually go that far.

Everyone keeps saying that game is so great though. Ah, you're trying to make me play on it on purpose. (Just proved my stupidity but hey, things can't get worse, right??)

Actually, that one of the few I was planning to buy when I get my DS.

It's deffinately my favourite game on the DS...er I mean it's really bad.
It really uses the system's unique features well..I mean it doesn't.

 

[RetiarySword]

This is actually a perfect description of my feelings for Fallout 3. I just never understood the praise it got. Every time I tried to give it the benefit of the doubt because everyone else said it was cool my brain would kick in and say "What the hell you didn't like Oblivion and this is just Oblivion with guns DO NOT WANT" Maybe its just my taste or maybe its popularity or maybe even some mix of the two who knows.

On another note...

Then I played CoD4 and GoW. I sort of liked one, and hated the other. Take a guess.

I liked them both so I'm not sure. Which one?

gears sucks and CoD4 is boring, but gave me a laugh

 

[Fairee]

My opinion tends to have an inverse relationship (yes, i probably have the maths term wrong, and totally out of context, but it's been almost three years) to popularity. Eg, the more popular something is, the less I like it. And the more someone recommends something, the less I tend to like it.

Want me to enjoy a game/film/band? Tell me they suck and should be killed.

Only exception being networking websites.

Phantom hourglass is so bad whenever you play it a kitten dies.

Whoah. Wasn't expecting anyone to actually go that far.

Everyone keeps saying that game is so great though. Ah, you're trying to make me play on it on purpose. (Just proved my stupidity but hey, things can't get worse, right??)

Actually, that one of the few I was planning to buy when I get my DS.

It's deffinately my favourite game on the DS...er I mean it's really bad.
It really uses the system's unique features well..I mean it doesn't.

Ok, point made. Any other DS games you can recommend/are so rubbish I should avoid even thinking of them?

 

[SmilingKitsune]

My opinion tends to have an inverse relationship (yes, i probably have the maths term wrong, and totally out of context, but it's been almost three years) to popularity. Eg, the more popular something is, the less I like it. And the more someone recommends something, the less I tend to like it.

Want me to enjoy a game/film/band? Tell me they suck and should be killed.

Only exception being networking websites.

Phantom hourglass is so bad whenever you play it a kitten dies.

Whoah. Wasn't expecting anyone to actually go that far.

Everyone keeps saying that game is so great though. Ah, you're trying to make me play on it on purpose. (Just proved my stupidity but hey, things can't get worse, right??)

Actually, that one of the few I was planning to buy when I get my DS.

It's deffinately my favourite game on the DS...er I mean it's really bad.
It really uses the system's unique features well..I mean it doesn't.

Ok, point made. Any other DS games you can recommend/are so rubbish I should avoid even thinking of them?

Hehe, sorry about that, New super mario bros is great, if a little traditional. Chrono trigger was released on the DS a few months back and if you're into RPGs and haven't played it before you should pick it up.

 

[Fairee]

My opinion tends to have an inverse relationship (yes, i probably have the maths term wrong, and totally out of context, but it's been almost three years) to popularity. Eg, the more popular something is, the less I like it. And the more someone recommends something, the less I tend to like it.

Want me to enjoy a game/film/band? Tell me they suck and should be killed.

Only exception being networking websites.

Phantom hourglass is so bad whenever you play it a kitten dies.

Whoah. Wasn't expecting anyone to actually go that far.

Everyone keeps saying that game is so great though. Ah, you're trying to make me play on it on purpose. (Just proved my stupidity but hey, things can't get worse, right??)

Actually, that one of the few I was planning to buy when I get my DS.

It's deffinately my favourite game on the DS...er I mean it's really bad.
It really uses the system's unique features well..I mean it doesn't.

Ok, point made. Any other DS games you can recommend/are so rubbish I should avoid even thinking of them?

Hehe, sorry about that, New super mario bros is great, if a little traditional. Chrono trigger was released on the DS a few months back and if you're into RPGs and haven't played it before you should pick it up.

People are gonna get really pissed off if we keep doing this. The page will end up so long it'll take hours to download.

But thank you for your opinions.