Does popular = good?

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.

06-19-2007, 12:12 PM	#1
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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