Does popular = good?

[Kevy Baby]

Originally Posted by wendybeth

Just because something is 'popular' certainly doesn't mean it's good- it could very well mean that a large group of people have horrible taste. Case in point: the Porky's movies. They were popular in their day, and they stunk. Same goes for the 'music' group the Human League. I seldom use somethings popularity as an indicator that I should read/watch/play, etc.

I disagree with this. While YOU may not have have liked the Porky's movies, some people DID like them. Those people's opinions may differ than yours, but that does not make them lesser opinions.

Using the Porky's example, one needs to remember that movies are, in their essence, meant to entertain. Sometimes people like simplistic, mindless entertainment - whether due to a simplistic mind incapable of processing complex plot lines and subtleties or because they feel that life is complicated enough and enjoy escapism that doesn't require deep thought. I confess to liking simplistic, and often shallow, movies. I also like deeper, thought provoking movies as well, but tend to gravitate towards the former.

Why? Because my work like is very fast paced, requires a lot of thought and is filled with constant conflict and constant arguments. I am usually exhausted by the close of each week. Mindless entertainment is the perfect escape for me.

Further, being a bad movie, does not render a movie void of entertainment. Susan has a fondness for enjoying "bad" movies (Pirate Movie, Grease 2, and Xanadu come to mind). And if a movie entertains one, is it really "bad" since it accomplished the core goal of entertaining?