Does popular = good? - Page 4

Ghoulish Delight · 06-19-2007, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Not Afraid

If I sing "Don't You Want Me" for the rest of the day, I'm going to fly to Spokane and bring a rope.

How about "(Keep Feeling) Fascination"

wendybeth · 06-19-2007, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Not Afraid

If I sing "Don't You Want Me" for the rest of the day, I'm going to fly to Spokane and bring a rope.

Hey, I didn't know you were into rodeo!

If it helps, I will offer up a song to chase that one out of your head: The Safety Dance.

Not Afraid · 06-19-2007, 09:11 AM

Beware. You're within easy driving distance.

Not Afraid · 06-19-2007, 09:53 AM

And, Kevy, you bring up a good point about why you choose to watch movies in the first place. Escapism, enlightment, stimulation etc are all valid reasons to watch a film. It's 2 hours of your life, you should have a decent reason.

Kevy Baby · 06-19-2007, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Not Afraid

It's 2 hours of your life, you should have a decent reason.

Or occasionally 15 minutes and an indecent reason

JWBear · 06-19-2007, 11:56 AM

You want proof that popular does not equal good? I have two words:

George Bush

End of argument.

Alex · 06-19-2007, 12:12 PM

I think the value of "popular" = "good" as an indicator varies from realm to realm.

But Bush may not be a counter argument. Electing a president is a predictive popularity contest, which is a different thing from popularity of something already experienced (Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip was the most "popular" show before anybody experienced it but extremely unpopular afterwards). Currently, however, after we've experienced him as president he is not popular.

In the area of literature, however, I think broad population popularity is a very bad indicator (at least for me) of quality. In fact, the more people who have read a book (in the population at large) the more certain I am in predicting it is awful.

Ghoulish Delight · 06-19-2007, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex

In the area of literature, however, I think broad population popularity is a very bad indicator (at least for me) of quality. In fact, the more people who have read a book (in the population at large) the more certain I am in predicting it is awful.

See, that's my point. There my be a strong correlation for movies between "highly rated" (which I probably should have used in my thread title rather than "popular") and "good", but it does not serve as "proof" of good, particularly since there is no such thing as truly "proving" something so subjective.

Alex · 06-19-2007, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

See, that's my point. There my be a strong correlation for movies between "highly rated" (which I probably should have used in my thread title rather than "popular") and "good", but it does not serve as "proof" of good, particularly since there is no such thing as truly "proving" something so subjective.

My short answer applies. "Popular" is an objective* concept. "Good" is a subjective concept (at the level of the individual). Of course one does not equal the other.

That said, on the question "How good does the collective rating population of IMDb think The Shawshank Redemption is?" would have the answer of "The second best of all movies." So within in that collective population "popular" does equal "good." But it still breaks down at the individual level.

And just as you probably should have said "highly rated" instead of popular what CP's brother probably meant was "Considering how highly regarded this movie is by the population as a whole, you are quite the statistical outlyer by not liking it." Just as I am surprised she doesn't like it (because I think it is a great movie and so does the general population) I do not think she is wrong in not liking it. However, even though I like Find Me Guilty quite a lot it would not surprise me if she doesn't since in general the population agrees with her.

*You can argue about what constitutes popularity but generally it is in terms that are objectively measurable.

Prudence · 06-19-2007, 12:43 PM

What is "good", though? There isn't, that I'm aware of, some objective master list of the qualities that make up "good". If "good" to you means "as judged by the average Netflix user who rates movies", then that #2 Netflix ranking is indeed all the proof you need. Some people think "good" and popular are mutually exclusive. Some people think good movies are judged more by their visuals than their story. Some people think good movies are the ones that provide the most complete escape from reality.

But, for some people, popular does equal good.

06-19-2007, 09:11 AM	#3
Not Afraid HI! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 17,108	Beware. You're within easy driving distance.
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06-19-2007, 09:53 AM	#4
Not Afraid HI! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 17,108	And, Kevy, you bring up a good point about why you choose to watch movies in the first place. Escapism, enlightment, stimulation etc are all valid reasons to watch a film. It's 2 hours of your life, you should have a decent reason.
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06-19-2007, 11:56 AM	#6
JWBear Worn Romantic Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Long Beach California Posts: 8,435	You want proof that popular does not equal good? I have two words: George Bush End of argument. __________________ Unrestrained frivolity will lead to the downfall of modern society.
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06-19-2007, 12:12 PM	#7
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	I think the value of "popular" = "good" as an indicator varies from realm to realm. But Bush may not be a counter argument. Electing a president is a predictive popularity contest, which is a different thing from popularity of something already experienced (Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip was the most "popular" show before anybody experienced it but extremely unpopular afterwards). Currently, however, after we've experienced him as president he is not popular. In the area of literature, however, I think broad population popularity is a very bad indicator (at least for me) of quality. In fact, the more people who have read a book (in the population at large) the more certain I am in predicting it is awful.
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06-19-2007, 12:43 PM	#10
Prudence Beelzeboobs, Esq. Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Gavel - I haz it Posts: 6,287	What is "good", though? There isn't, that I'm aware of, some objective master list of the qualities that make up "good". If "good" to you means "as judged by the average Netflix user who rates movies", then that #2 Netflix ranking is indeed all the proof you need. Some people think "good" and popular are mutually exclusive. Some people think good movies are judged more by their visuals than their story. Some people think good movies are the ones that provide the most complete escape from reality. But, for some people, popular does equal good. __________________ traguna macoities tracorum satis de
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