Mainstream ROUGH

“Ugh, you’re so mainstream.” “Seriously, you like pop? What’s wrong with you?”

Pop culture is an inescapable part of our lives. But lately, I’ve noticed that it’s becoming increasingly underappreciated. Indie is the new hip. Alternative is the new cool. Hipster is the new black. Pop is, ironically, becoming unpopular. But what I don’t get is why so many people are against mainstream. It may have its downsides, but it’s not all trash; it can be entertaining and quite funny at times. It can be inspirational and uplifting. It can even unite people from all walks of life as fans who share a love for a pop culture phenomenon. So why such a bad rap?

I’ve come up with several theories. Firstly, I’ll admit that mainstream can be shallow and thoughtless. But that doesn’t necessarily reflect the intellectuality of those who like it. Even if it does, it still doesn’t deserve all the hate it’s been getting. Sometimes we just need a little Kesha to help us let loose and not have to think, even if it’s just for a song or two. Besides, there’s a reason it’s called “mainstream”. It must have done something right if so many people like it for it to garner that title. While popular movies like Inception and shows like Gossip Girl may not have much educational value, they serve their purpose well: to entertain. And by the way, Harry Potter is also considered pop. I am certain I’m not alone in proclaiming my undying love for the series.

Perhaps the reason for the unpopularity of “mainstream” or “popular” is its uncomfortably-close association with the even more despised term “conformity”. With society’s growing need for individuality and people’s desire to stand out and be unique, it’s not hard to see why people don’t want to like mainstream. Maybe they simply do not want to be thrown into the pool of “everybody else”. But then again, why does that make “pop culture” wrong? Conforming in one area doesn’t mean you can’t stand out in another. Furthermore, why is it necessary for one person to chastise another for liking pop culture, just because the former doesn’t?

I get that hipster and indie are different. Enjoying obscure podcasts and rocking out to classical music probably does elevate you above the common denominator and better than the not-as-intelligent majority of the U.S. who fall prey to Gaga and Spears. I can appreciate those who like actual music because the lyrics have far more meaning than “wake up in the morning with a bottle of Jack”, and even the most sophisticated of autotuning will never be able to replace the emotion evoked through guitar-strumming. Indeed, I myself sometimes get tired of hearing about poker faces and bad romances at some point. But there’s no need to speak of it like enjoying it is a crime.

Perhaps my real issue here isn’t that people are against pop, but their unnecessary overly-voiced opinions about how much they are against it. Sure, it can be superficial or silly, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have anything valuable to offer. In fact, if you bother to sit down once in a while and actually be open to it, mainstream may be able to offer something you didn’t know they could. No, not all of Selena Gomez’s lyrics are utterly meaningless. And gasp, Lady Gaga does have talent. I suppose just like beauty, worthy culture is in the eye, or rather, the mind, of the beholder. A little open-mindedness is all one really needs.

“Ugh, you’re so mainstream.” “Seriously, you like pop? What’s wrong with you?”

Pop culture is an inescapable part of our lives. But lately, I’ve noticed that it’s becoming increasingly underappreciated. Indie is the new hip. Alternative is the new cool. Hipster is the new black. Pop is, ironically, becoming unpopular. But what I don’t get is why so many people are against mainstream. It may have its downsides, but it’s not all trash; it can be entertaining and quite funny at times. It can be inspirational and uplifting. It can even unite people from all walks of life as fans who share a love for a pop culture phenomenon. So why such a bad rap?

I’ve come up with several theories. Firstly, I’ll admit that mainstream can be shallow and thoughtless. But that doesn’t necessarily reflect the intellectuality of those who like it. Even if it does, it still doesn’t deserve all the hate it’s been getting. Sometimes we just need a little Kesha to help us let loose and not have to think, even if it’s just for a song or two. Besides, there’s a reason it’s called “mainstream”. It must have done something right if so many people like it for it to garner that title. While popular movies like Inception <Italicize> and shows like Gossip Girl <Italicize> may not have much educational value, they serve their purpose well: to entertain. And by the way, Harry Potter is also considered pop. I am certain I’m not alone in proclaiming my undying love for the series.

Perhaps the reason for the unpopularity of “mainstream” or “popular” is its uncomfortably-close association with the even more despised term “conformity”. With society’s growing need for individuality and people’s desire to stand out and be unique, it’s not hard to see why people don’t want to like mainstream. Maybe they simply do not want to be thrown into the pool of “everybody else”. But then again, why does that make “pop culture” wrong? Conforming in one area doesn’t mean you can’t stand out in another. Furthermore, why is it necessary for one person to chastise another for liking pop culture, just because the former doesn’t?

I get that hipster and indie are different. Enjoying obscure podcasts and rocking out to classical music probably does elevate you above the common denominator and better than the not-as-intelligent majority of the U.S. who fall prey to Gaga and Spears. I can appreciate those who like actual music because the lyrics have far more meaning than “wake up in the morning with a bottle of Jack”, and even the most sophisticated of autotuning <auto tuning> will never be able to replace the emotion evoked through guitar-strumming. Indeed, I myself sometimes get tired of hearing about poker faces and bad romances at some point. But there’s no need to speak of it like enjoying it is a crime.

Perhaps my real issue here isn’t that people are against pop, but their unnecessary overly-voiced opinions about how much they are against it. Sure, it can be superficial or silly, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have anything valuable to offer. In fact, if you bother to sit down once in a while and actually be open to it, mainstream may be able to offer something you didn’t know they could. No, not all of Selena Gomez’s lyrics are utterly meaningless. And gasp, Lady Gaga does have talent. I suppose just like beauty, worthy culture is in the eye, or rather, the mind, of the beholder. A little open-mindedness is all one really needs.

“Ugh, you’re so mainstream.” “Seriously, you like pop? What’s wrong with you?”

Pop culture is an inescapable part of our lives. But lately, I’ve noticed that it’s becoming increasingly underappreciated. Indie is the new hip. Alternative is the new cool. Hipster is the new black. Pop is, ironically, becoming unpopular. But what I don’t get is why so many people are against mainstream. It may have its downsides, but it’s not all trash; it can be entertaining and quite funny at times. It can be inspirational and uplifting. It can even unite people from all walks of life as fans who share a love for a pop culture phenomenon. So why such a bad rap?

I’ve come up with several theories. Firstly, I’ll admit that mainstream can be shallow and thoughtless. But that doesn’t necessarily reflect the intellectuality of those who like it. Even if it does, it still doesn’t deserve all the hate it’s been getting. Sometimes we just need a little Kesha to help us let loose and not have to think, even if it’s just for a song or two. Besides, there’s a reason it’s called “mainstream”. It must have done something right if so many people like it for it to garner that title. While popular movies like Inception and shows like Gossip Girl may not have much educational value, they serve their purpose well: to entertain. And by the way, Harry Potter is also considered pop. I am certain I’m not alone in proclaiming my undying love for the series.

Perhaps the reason for the unpopularity of “mainstream” or “popular” is its uncomfortably-close association with the even more despised term “conformity”. With society’s growing need for individuality and people’s desire to stand out and be unique, it’s not hard to see why people don’t want to like mainstream. Maybe they simply do not want to be thrown into the pool of “everybody else”. But then again, why does that make “pop culture” wrong? Conforming in one area doesn’t mean you can’t stand out in another. Furthermore, why is it necessary for one person to chastise another for liking pop culture, just because the former doesn’t?

I get that hipster and indie are different. Enjoying obscure podcasts and rocking out to classical music probably does elevate you above the common denominator and better than the not-as-intelligent majority of the U.S. who fall prey to Gaga and Spears. I can appreciate those who like actual music because the lyrics have far more meaning than “wake up in the morning with a bottle of Jack”, and even the most sophisticated of auto tuning will never be able to replace the emotion evoked through guitar-strumming. Indeed, I myself sometimes get tired of hearing about poker faces and bad romances at some point. But there’s no need to speak of it like enjoying it is a crime.

Perhaps my real issue here isn’t that people are against pop, but their unnecessary overly-voiced opinions about how much they are against it. Sure, it can be superficial or silly, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have anything valuable to offer. In fact, if you bother to sit down once in a while and actually be open to it, mainstream may be able to offer something you didn’t know they could. No, not all of Selena Gomez’s lyrics are utterly meaningless. And gasp, Lady Gaga does have talent. I suppose just like beauty, worthy culture is in the eye, or rather, the mind, of the beholder. A little open-mindedness is all one really needs.