Everything is Too Mainstream for Me

[Halfire]

Why do people hate something ONLY because its popular, or they say "I used to like that before it got mainstream". Is that like hipster code or something?

[warlord_evil]

Moved your thread to General Chat.

[Mr_T-Shirt]

Oh, hai unassuming thread! Can I take you for a spin, please?

The problem, as I see it, is that most of things these days that are popular within the media usually tend to be very formulaic, boring or a re-hash of something old. Take a look at the movie industry, for example: we have movies based off of other movies, based off of a book and a series of epics formed from a kids cartoon based off a toy line. Now, there's nothing wrong with this, and entertainment is always borrowing ideas to advance, but I feel it has gotten a little stale as of late and that the studios aren't even trying to be original anymore. They know what sells, and to do different would risk a financial loss.

Did you know that in 1986, 90% of the American media was owned by 50 companies? When comparing this to today, that same 90% is controlled by only 6 companies, or, 232 executives who cater towards the media needs of 277 million Americans. Putting that into perspective, that's 1 executive per 850,000 people. That's the same size as the population of San Francisco. These people know what sells and are more than happy to churn out the same old thing, year in, year out, knowing it makes an easy buck, and, because of this more experimental, pioneering work is left to the smaller crowds who seek it.

The music industry is another good example. Sampling other musicians work has become an extremely popular method for pop artists these days, to the point where it almost seems like karaoke! Now, there's nothing wrong with using sample, but it's just so over saturated that it's bland as a bland thing. The same endless top 20 being played week after week can get mind numbing too, especially when they all follow that same "pop" structure, (i.e.Verse, Pre-Chorus, Chorus, Verse, Pre-Chorus, Chorus, Bridge, Verse, Chorus) mixed in with the latest craze. It can all end up sounding the same. Here's another fun fact: In the US, 80% of all radio stations playlists match.

But I digress. This isn't really the topic of this thread. You're asking the question, "Why do people dislike something when it becomes popular?" Well, it can usually be decided for two reasons:
1. The person was a fan of the thing when it was small, it got popular and now they feel as if everyone else has been let in on their little secret. Imagine it like a secret clubhouse that suddenly get occupied by the entirety of your town.
2. They are a person who just naturally likes to go against the grain of things and make an issue over anything that's widely recognized, regardless of how good it is.

I can see why some people would act like this towards the first one, but I'm not a huge fan of people acting like no. 2. Certain forms of media get popular for a reason, because they're enjoyable to a large amount of people and this can sometimes be a sign of absolute quality. Sometimes not, but I like to give anything a chance and then make up my own mind if I like it or not. Although, sometimes you don't have to see something to know that's it's not going to be your thing, based off of your own opinions of what you enjoy. But, I think we're all a little guilty of having both of these feeling towards things in the past, it's just one of those "new age" human nature thingy's, I guess.

My only piece of advice would to be to find your own taste in what you enjoy. Don't watch, listen, read or play what the media tells you to and find the things you enjoy on your own.

Now, excuse me, the nurse has come to wheel me away back to my padded cell.

TL;DR: Read the thing above this...no, not that. The thing above it, "My only piece of advice..."

[Rabid-Coot]

"I used to like that before it got mainstream". Is that like hipster code or something?

Its a more wordy way of saying FIRST!!!

[Alex™]

This thread is too mainstream.

[Ironface]

Mainstream, "the ideas, attitudes, or activities that are regarded as normal or conventional." When people used to like something before it became "mainstream", they used to like it before it became formulaic, unadventurous, predictable, unexceptional, mediocre, etc.

[Kern•]

Being hipster is too mainstream

[Xtrahuman]

Being mainstream is too mainstream.

[Dragonvarsity]

It seems like Mr_T and everyone else has done a pretty bang up job at answering your question, but I do know of some song with a hipster sound title....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN50ZU6jVwM

[Rabid-Coot]

[nysudyrgh]

Being hipster is too mainstream

So hipsters are paradoxes?

[Sackpapoi]

How I see it is that there are people that let the media decide things for them. A great example is most of the adolescent population. Take a look at how a decent majority of them dress (not saying all, that's ignorant, because there are plenty of intelligent teens out there--AHEM BILL GATES). Anyway, you may notice that most wear close to the same thing or brand. There are things and people that are popular that most everyone has or does. They are easily influenced by visual and audio media, the "word on the street", or even their friends. Also sort of explaining why there are six-year-olds playing Call of Duty.
Now there are hipsters, there are people that just have their own opinions, and there are just freaks. I don't know much about hipsters, but I know many apparently, so I see them as trying hard to be different because what's common isn't interesting. Having diversity is good, but they act like having too little is bad. I guess they certainly don't live by the quote "Go with the flow," because that's exactly the opposite of what they're trying to do. It's hard for me at least to distinguish a hipster from a complete weirdo you find on the streets, but once you get to know someone who says they're a hipster, it gets easier. You know someone's a freak when they're dancing around with no pants and shoving broccoli up their noses. I think a hipster just may be someone who sticks out. Either that, or an attention magnet.
Again, I don't know much about these modern-day labels people put on each other, so I'm probably wrong. But I don't know.

[Mr_T-Shirt]

[kirbyman62]

He hipster walks into a bar. He says "this bar has too many hipsters, I'm leaving."

[Valeview]

Hipsters make me wish air was mainstream.