Pop Culture (and classics)

People love memes. Not me. Most memes are absolute garbage. Most involve simply showing a line from a movie or television series. Although I admit that I have enjoyed a small handful, repeating your favorite lines isn't exactly clever.


There's one issue in particular that bothers me about these memes. They rely on the assumption that everybody knows the scene. This can only happen if everybody likes the same things.

This is not just about memes. A lot of people like to make references to pop culture. Pop culture relies on the idea that something is known well enough that most people will get the references. It embraced the idea that everybody reads, watches, and listens to the same things.

I am an individualist. I believe that everyone has his or her own interests. I do not want people to feel obligated to watch crap just because it's popular.

Classics are similar. There are a lot of old books that people think everyone should read. Many people will not enjoy these books. In some cases, pushing others to read the same classics can generate hatred of reading. Instead of encouraging individuals to read something they personally like, we encourage them to read books just because other people like them.

Viral videos also fit this pattern. There have been multiple times when I have seen or read something that mentioned a viral video that I didn't see. On a couple of occasions, I have looked for the video. Most are popular because of how bad they are. Why would I want to waste my time watching bad videos?

I have been complaining about how society had become overly conformist. Pop culture, classic literature, and viral videos are good examples of our conformist expectations. If something becomes popular, we expect everybody to enjoy it. In some cases, this is even enforced. Some schools have tried to use popular movies in their lesson plans, effectively providing benefits for students who like what they're told to like. The schools are also among the biggest supporters of classic literature.

If you like something, that should be your opinion. Similarly, you shouldn't be forced to like what others like. Although I have made plenty of references around family, you might notice that I don't make many publicly. I wish more people would show similar constraints. Just because you like something, you should never assume that everyone else will.