Popular\Unpopular Tastes

[Phil Hartman]

[Mr. SmartyPants]

Nah. Most of my favorite anime titles are ones people aren't too familiar with. Such as Monster, Paranoia Agent, Full Metal Panic, etc.

Now a days, most people like Inuyasha, Trigun, etc. I'm not big on them.

Also my music is vastly different, most people listen to like rock and stuff, I listen to only Techno and asian rock/pop and some soundtrack music.

[Sakura15]

Is your enjoyment of a particular interest (ie. movies, anime, hobbies, or food) motivated because a majority of people like the same thing?

No, I like certian things because I like them, not because other people like them. Though it's cool to find people who share your intrests. And when my friends tell me about a movie/anime/music etc, I check it out first and see if it's something I would also enjoy, but it doesnt mean I'll always like that particular thing.

I admit, I do like alot of the popular anime (Except Inuyasha ), but like I said before it's not because of other peoples opinions.

[Jingo Jaden]

Well, I've watched desperate housewifes some time now, not to popular among the boys, but the girls seem to like it.

[Syreth]

My tastes don't really depend too much on what people think of them... Thinking of the time when people were giving my manga volume weird looks at work. ^^

[Shuji]

Is your enjoyment of a particular interest (ie. movies, anime, hobbies, or food) motivated because a majority of people like the same thing?

To some extent yes, but Im me, and the things I like I will always like, no matter what others may think. Sure i may feel uncomfortable if other people question it but thats not going to stop me.

[Radical Dreamer]

As far as I'm concerned, I like what I like, and dislike what I dislike. I don't like certain things because my friends or the popular people like them, but because I like them. I won't go out of my way to please someone else by liking what they like (especially if I don't enjoy it), but I also won't go out of my way to shun all things popular. Hey, some of the more popular anime are really good (FullMetal Alchemist, Trigun). Am I going to let the fact that they're widely accepted scare me off? No way. Some people say that liking something that's popular makes you less of an individual, but I strongly disagree. Being an individual entails that you like what you like without letting another's opinion of you dictate what you do, whether you're trying to become more of an individual by hating all things popular, or if you're trying to please others by doing what is popular.

Anyways, yeah, my 2 cents. XD I kinda turned that into a little mini-rant; sorry! XD

[silver1ightning]

I don't like to go with the flow often, so I don't like to like the things that are popular unless I really like them. For example, if everyone likes one particular song, I will sometimes go out of my way just not to like it, and it turns out usually I don't like it anyway. It makes me feel more like an individual if only I like it.

I heard a quote once that I makes me feel better if a group of people disagree with me because of something I like is unpopular or is not with the majority:
You laugh at me because I'm different. I laugh at you because you're all the same.

I know its somewhat mean, but for me it speaks the truth. I agree with Radical Dreamer that being an individual means you are entitled to your own opinion, without everyone dictating you, but I also think that if everyone is doing it, we'll all be the same, and it starts to eliminate all the factors that make us all different, until we're eventually all the same and hate others that are different.

Well, yep, thats my opinion.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

You laugh at me because I'm different. I laugh at you because you're all the same.

*nod nod* I love that quote as well.

[Bobtheduck]

I'd say that in the US, counter-culture is so engrained in our culture (that it's no longer counter culture like it was in the 60's... In fact, real counter-culture would be to counter the counter-culture... heh, figure that one out) that the big thing is to look at what looks popular and HATE it for that very reason... Therefore, yes people are influenced by what's popular often instead of looking at whether they'd like it regardless...

I try to find out whether I like something even if it's unpopular, and even if it is very popular though I have been known to occasionally do the "jumping on the bandwagon of jumping off the bandwagon"

I tend to like weird, and can separate the surface from the core in things a lot, so my tastes tend to be different than waht's popular in the first place. I rarely hate a movie, unless it is something preachy that has convinced a lot of Christians that it is good, but actually is something very unchristian at the base of it, such as "Pay it Forward..." Those are the only movies I hate, normally... There are exceptions, though... This does not count straight out porn or something, either...

Really, for me, it isn't about the majority of a group liking something, but finding friends that can like it with me... That's the most important...

[the_lizardqueen]

Popular tastes definitely influence me. If something is huge, I tend to avoid it like the plague (Lost being the exception, but I watched it from the start)

Actually, it's really a shame, I have passed up really good songs, shows, books and movies because they were too saturated in the mainstream. Lately I'm just trying to like what I like and ignore it's level of popularity.

Of course, I still gravitate towards less than popular things, like folk bands, drinking songs and classic rock ^^

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

Generally I'm not influenced by what's popular and what's not.
I loved the Thief series (PC games) and was looking for more steampunk goodness and someone suggested I try Last Exile and I did.
Noir, I just loved the look of. Always been into the assassin thing.
I like foods many don't, but I eat what I like, not influenced by others.
I enjoy P.O.D music when I heard them, not because someone said it's cool, but because I did enjoy them.
I don't dress fashionably as such but I wear what keeps me warm or cool, if it's big enough for me. I'm not fussed.

That said, I do enjoy it when I find people that have similar interests to me (especially CAA) since most people I'm friends with don't watch anime or read manga.

Guess I'm very weird. (lol)

[harina]

Well, I think I eat ice cream just because other people do it too and say it's delicious. If I were living alone, I don't think I ever bought ice cream for myself. There are a lots of more delicious things than that.

But I've noticed that if people that I think are very cool like/dislike something, I start to think if I like/dislike it myself. Sometimes I grow an addiction in something that the 'cool people' are addicted. ^^;

[bigsleepj]

Is your enjoyment of a particular interest (ie. movies, anime, hobbies, or food) motivated because a majority of people like the same thing?

I only like it if its good, regardless of what the majority of people think about it. Simple as that.

[mitsuki lover]

I like what I like because it's what I enjoy not because some idiot in New York or
Los Angeles says I ought to like it.

[Shao Feng-Li]

Most things that I like aren't influenced by other people, but it's much better when there's shared interest in something.

[Cap'n Nick]

I like it when people I like like things that I like. Butting heads with people over personal taste just isn't my idea of fun. Plus, it's great to have people to enjoy things with.

People I don't like, though, that's a different matter. It makes me feel as though I'm being categorized with someone I really don't appreciate.

[TurkishMonky]

I really don't care what other people think is cool. for the most part, my likes are determined by either what i like, or because of some random decision i made and stuck with it. (Such as star wars, some finer points of theology i won't mention, paintball, case modding, drawing and anime/manga.)

All of these i knew basically nothing about beforehand, noticed it somewhere - usually at random - and decided it was interesting enough to become semi-obsessive compulsive about (sometimes bringing friends in too. lol )

for exmple, when researching somthing for an english paper, i stumbled upon CAA. hmm, i'm not that familiar with anime... that weekend, I was bored, so i decided to draw, then to try my hand at manga-ish drawing. Within a few weeks i had joined CAA, and it has been a part of my weekly, if not daily life ever since. With that came an intrest in manga and anime, and etc.

Anyway, that's usually how it goes with my interests.

[TallHobbit86]

I really don't care what other people think is cool. for the most part, my likes are determined by either what i like, or because of some random decision i made and stuck with it. (Such as star wars, some finer points of theology i won't mention, paintball, case modding, drawing and anime/manga.)

All of these i knew basically nothing about beforehand, noticed it somewhere - usually at random - and decided it was interesting enough to become semi-obsessive compulsive about (sometimes bringing friends in too. lol )

for exmple, when researching somthing for an english paper, i stumbled upon CAA. hmm, i'm not that familiar with anime... that weekend, I was bored, so i decided to draw, then to try my hand at manga-ish drawing. Within a few weeks i had joined CAA, and it has been a part of my weekly, if not daily life ever since. With that came an intrest in manga and anime, and etc.

Anyway, that's usually how it goes with my interests.

yes, i'd be one of the IRL friends brought in... (joining CAA and becoming interested in anime for instance... all through TM's random discovery)
what my friends like does influence what i like a little more, but that's just because i like to have friends that share in my interests to enjoy it with since enjoying something with others works like a force multiplier for the enjoyment... at least in my experience... =D

[Bap]

Lawl, I don't even know what the majority of people like these days. xD; I'm so out of it, roffle. u_u;

But for some of the things I like [like music] most people tend to like what I like, and vice versa, because everything I've gotten interested in is stuff I've heard on the radio. I'm mainstream when it comes to music. xD;

As for anime and video games and etc, I do a bit more searching and stuff, so when it comes to those things, there're more things in that area that less people tend to like / know about. 8D

[mitsuki lover]

Tastes are formed by a lifetime of reading,listening and watching.No-one can really dictate what someone else should enjoy because of the fact that each of us have differing tastes.

[Radical Dreamer]

Tastes are formed by a lifetime of reading,listening and watching.No-one can really dictate what someone else should enjoy because of the fact that each of us have differing tastes.

Exactly. Even though some people may enjoy things that are the same doesn't mean those people are exactly the same. No one is exactly the same in their tastes. This is how we can keep our individuality without missing out on things that seem to be more popular, but really are of good quality. The thing that bothers me when people shun all things popular is that, even though some of them claim that they are not swayed by what people think, they really are being swayed, because they refuse to touch anything that's popular. Case in point, if we're really not worried about what other people think of us, we shouldn't keep ourselves from watching or listening to popular things that are of good quality (meaning they're clean and line up with a certain person's tastes).

[Raiden no Kishi]

I personally don't care what's "in style" or popular. In fact, it's a bit of a turnoff to me. But overall, I wear/read/watch/listen to what I want to. For example: I often wear a belt buckle that is a black Mario-esque mushroom and crossbones with a skull on the cap. A girl I know told me, "That just isn't you. Well . . . it may be you, but [and I don't remember her exact words, but it was disapproval]". I just shrugged and put it out of my mind ~ because I didn't care. That's nice, you're entitled to your opinion, but it means nothing to me. ^_^ I don't have the time to worry about others' ideas of what is and isn't stylish. I was born an individual ~ and that's the way I live.

.rai//

EDIT: I just had a thought. It would appear to me that avoiding something because it's popular isn't the best course of action because, really, it means the majority controls you still. Just a theory.

[Alice]

I'm somewhat of an individualist, but I can be insecure about it. I don't like something because someone else likes it, I'm surprised when anyone likes anything I do, and I wish it happened more often. xD