Hating mainstream, preferring obscure things

Sefirosu

Sefirosu

Sefirosu

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Do you think that once people get 'into' music, film or literature, they tend to think it makes them look better to like obscure things and hate the mainstream big names that they once liked?*

I'm looking at lists of top movies and I'm thinking that your 'Star Wars', 'Indiana Jones'-type films are regarded by films snobs as being unintellectual and so-on.** But I think that people forget the first impression they had when they watched them originally.

It's kind of like this in classical music as well. No snob will name Beethoven's Fifth or Mozart's 40th as their favourite piece of music, they'll choose one of the lesser works of Scriabin or something, yet when they first heard them they were blown away.

*Kind of rhetorical cause I know they do. :p

**Although it seems that those particular films are high on the IMDB 250 this phenomenon does exist
 
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In one sense it is possible to get genuine people like that, i have a friend who is always talking about obscure music and acts ive never heard of but he's a really nice guy and doesnt come across as some elitist snob at all.

But you definitely get the ones who think they are better than everyone else because they like something no one has heard of. Personally who gives a toss? it's all out there to be enjoyed in whatever capacity and anyone who judges themselves better than others just by what they listen/read/watch should look at themselves and get help, quite pathetic really.
 
While generic American action films are good for a tune in zone out viewing experience, I like something more from my films.
 
Anything which is mainstream is manufactured in some capacity to appeal to as many people as possible.

But not everyone. So you get those for which "mainstream" has no appeal.

Speaking for myself, I like punk music and about a million different variations thereof. I didn't make a conscious choice to like something that wasn't mainstream, I just sought out bands which made music I enjoyed listening to.

When it comes to film, I'm very much a "magic of cinema" kind of guy, in fact part of the reason I'm studying Film and TV is because I enjoy huge studio productions and such like. For me, that's what cinema is all about: the magic. Making me feel like a kid again. So I guess in that sense, I prefer mainstream films.

In my classes, however, there's people who utterly deride mainstream films and have a more arthouse taste. And most of them are pretty cool people who aren't elitist, just passionate. The mainstream just doesn't cater to their tastes.

I'm sure there are people out there who think liking "obscure" stuff makes them look cool. Those are the kind of people I tend to avoid. There's no real passion for anything there, just a self conscious attempt to make themselves look as cool as possible.
 
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I understand where you're coming from I think but your argument sounds as if it is "if you liked it on first watch/listen/read then you must love it forevermore and if you don't you're an intellectual snob".

I don't think that it would be entirely unfair or unlikely for people to change their mind about what they like - maybe one of the mainstream films started their interest in something more obscure and then they realise that the greater layers in some obscure film makes it a better and more meaningful film for them. If that is the case then why should they continue to like what they view as an inferior product to quite the same degree?

There's definitely people who will only like something because it isn't popular but I'd be careful about the argument that peoples tastes should remain fixed. I still like some of the music/films/books that I did when I was 12 but some of it I don't.
 
Just because something is popular doesn't mean it is good, for example, The Big Bang Theory seems to be a popular sitcom that lots of people watch. When I watch it, I don't find any of it funny or remotely engaging whatsoever, so I turn it off. I also do this with any of the popular talent shows on television at the moment, but people find it odd that I can't stand to watch them. Some things just aren't to my taste and I would prefer to watch/hear something else, that I like.

Although, you will get people who deliberately go out of their way to slate something, which is really just them trying to make you follow their views and inflate their ego.
 
I've been thinking about this a lot lately, not least because I've been getting into some interesting discussions about my taste in music on account of buying and listening to a couple of Christina Aguilera albums. I've been told I don't look the type who would listen to such things (though perhaps of more concern is that I'm told I look like someone who'd listen to Coldplay) but the fact of the matter is I listen to a lot of different types of music, and my current "to buy" list ranges from NWA to Nine Inch Nails with Take That and Shakira in the middle. I like listening to music made by talented people, or which interests me in some way. I've stopped trying to distinguish music based on how it fits with my tastes, and focussing more on whether I enjoy it and find it to be well put together musically.

Having read a book on music theory and why we "enjoy" music, I've come to a conclusion that at the most basic level, whether you like metal or pop or whatever, what your brain actually likes is the fact that in well put together music the phrases resolve satisfyingly. You could use the same sequence of chords and notes and make a pop or rock record, and the only distinction might be the timbre of the sounds involved from the instruments used and the overarching production style. And timbre is just down to taste. The same melody played on a piano or guitar can't really be said to be better or worse, though you might like one or the other more.
 
I tend to feel worse if I like something non-mainstream.

I think we can all agree though that if **** like X-Factor chart singles are considered the mainstream, no there's no harm in feeling superior.
 
Vonhelmet said:
I've been thinking about this a lot lately, not least because I've been getting into some interesting discussions about my taste in music on account of buying and listening to a couple of Christina Aguilera albums. I've been told I don't look the type who would listen to such things (though perhaps of more concern is that I'm told I look like someone who'd listen to Coldplay) but the fact of the matter is I listen to a lot of different types of music, and my current "to buy" list ranges from NWA to Nine Inch Nails with Take That and Shakira in the middle. I like listening to music made by talented people, or which interests me in some way. I've stopped trying to distinguish music based on how it fits with my tastes, and focussing more on whether I enjoy it and find it to be well put together musically.
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Being eclectic is just a more irritating and distilled form of elitism. I'm sure of it.


Vonhelmet said:
Having read a book on music theory and why we "enjoy" music, I've come to a conclusion that at the most basic level, whether you like metal or pop or whatever, what your brain actually likes is the fact that in well put together music the phrases resolve satisfyingly. You could use the same sequence of chords and notes and make a pop or rock record, and the only distinction might be the timbre of the sounds involved from the instruments used and the overarching production style. And timbre is just down to taste. The same melody played on a piano or guitar can't really be said to be better or worse, though you might like one or the other more.
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I certainly would not disagree with that. Death metal has the most beautiful lullabies at it's core.
 
Vonhelmet said:
I've been thinking about this a lot lately, not least because I've been getting into some interesting discussions about my taste in music on account of buying and listening to a couple of Christina Aguilera albums. I've been told I don't look the type who would listen to such things (though perhaps of more concern is that I'm told I look like someone who'd listen to Coldplay) but the fact of the matter is I listen to a lot of different types of music, and my current "to buy" list ranges from NWA to Nine Inch Nails with Take That and Shakira in the middle. I like listening to music made by talented people, or which interests me in some way. I've stopped trying to distinguish music based on how it fits with my tastes, and focussing more on whether I enjoy it and find it to be well put together musically.
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Nicely summed up - the last 5 songs I listened to on this playlist were Rizzle Kicks - Mama Do The Hump, Adam Ant - Apollo 9, Opus - Life Is Life, Jessie J - Domino and Pantera - Cemetery Gates.

I'll go from Cascada to Cream to Prince via Pfaffendorff :p
 
Vonhelmet said:
I've been told I don't look the type who would listen to such things
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About 4 years ago I took my car to Halfords to have an iPod attachment fitted to my stereo and left the iPod with it while went to do some shopping.
About 1 hour later I get a phone call by the guy fitting the device and he asks if the iPod is mine. I said:
Yeah why?
It's the music on it
Why?
Erm, you've got Lamb Of God, Children Of Bodom, Devildriver and other great bands on there.
So what are you saying, I shouldn't be listening to such stuff? (I'm smirking at this point).
No no, I'm sorry if I insulted you, I'm just amazed at your music taste.
Why, do you think I should be listening to Bryan Adams & Phil Collins?
Err, no, I'm not insulting you, I'm amazed at your taste
Well Slayer and Metallica were out before you were born so it's my music so you should go and get your own.

Anyway, when I got back we had a good laugh and talk about 'mainstream' metal music.
 
I've for a long time disliked pop music in general.. but recently found myself quite into Katy Perry lol. (Yes yes.. I'm sure a lot of folk would like to be 'into' her... but I digress...)

Some people can get to hooked on trying to know it all rather than enjoying/appreciating.

If you enjoy a tune/film/book, that's all that matters. I've often like things I really thought I wouldn't.
 
I think we all do it to some extent. It's just like with a girl really. You get to know them and it's entirely your thing and a way of expressing yourself. You have personal connections with those songs.

Then once everyone has had a piece of the action, you don't look back in the same way. Other people sharing that experience cheapens your own because it's something that you no longer associate with yourself and your experiences. It just isn't the same.

I probably think too highly of myself.
 
Nitefly said:
I think we all do it to some extent. It's just like with a girl really. You get to know them and it's entirely your thing and a way of expressing yourself. You have personal connections with those songs.

Then once everyone has had a piece of the action, you don't look back in the same way. Other people sharing that experience cheapens your own because it's something that you no longer associate with yourself and your experiences. It just isn't the same.

I probably think too highly of myself.
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I dunno man. I get a lot of joy from sharing music with people who haven't heard it before. The enhances the way I enjoy it, to know that other people really like what I like. Especially when it was me that turned them on to it. It doesn't cheapen my experience at all. In fact, it'd say it causes me to enjoy it even more...

I guess I associate that experience even more with me because I was the guy that made other people like that experience I did.

Or something. I dunno. That's the general feeling I get (and why I do a radio show) but right now I'm drunk, so I'm probably not articulating myself properly.
 
If it's catchy and I enjoy listening to it, I will listen to it. Thanks.

It's engaging and I enjoy watching it, I'll watch it. Thanks.

Thanks.
 
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