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Do you have friends that hate mainstream shit...

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for no other reason than it's mainstream? Like the people that want to pound in your head how bad Pulp Fiction is, and how vastly superior Reservoir Dogs is. Can't they both be really fucking good? At first you may think "so? that's just their opinion", but no. The further into the discussion you'll get, the more likely they'll slip and just spit it out "it's too mainstream" or some garbage like that. Why do some people do this? Does it give us a sense of intellectual superiority over the 'common folks'?
 
Not really, my friends usually like most mainstream stuff. I feel as though a lot of Neogaf users fit that description though.
 
Best thing about them is finding out they do like some mainstream stuff and calling them out on it. Still care for them it's just one of those quirks them old boys have.
 
That friend is probably me if I'm honest, regarding certain forms of art.

Edit: Didn't read the OP properly. I never hate anything BECAUSE its mainstream. I'll judge everything on its own merits.
 
As you get older, you encounter much less of these people in your life. As you begin meeting more and more people that take on adult responsibilities and have a better understanding of who they are and the things that make them happy and smile, you don't have to deal with this shit anymore.

Being genuine about the things that make you happy, regardless of what others think, is a fantastic thing. And I love to see that in other people.
 
I'm usually that guy, except not as bad as the person you're describing, I don't insist on letting everyone know about my dislike for things, and there is some mainstream stuff that I really like. Pulp Fiction is fucking awesome, and I like that "Happy" song.
 
I should clarify that I also hate a lot of mainstream shit as well. I absolutely cant stand 90% of todays popular music, most summer blockbusters are terrible, etc. But I like to think it's because I genuinely think it's bad, and not because of some ulterior motive to stand out and appear different. I don't even like going to parties anymore, because it's all the same shitty trap and dubstep playing that I just can't stand listening to and pretending to like.
 
No, but I'll admit that I like to play the devil's advocate when things fall too heavily on one side but no argument or position is worth holding if you can't back it up.
 
I too am that friend.

The main reason I tend to like non-mainstream stuff is because:

A) It's usually a bit different than anything else going on and therefore likely a metric shit ton more imaginative/interesting/challenging.

B) It's not metaphorically shoved down my throat by overbearing marketing or forceful fans.
 
Um, there are people that hate Pulp Fiction "because it's mainstream"? It's a classic no matter how you slice it!

Wow, I hope I never meet them.
 
Yeap. I was that to an extent for a while too, but have mostly grown out of it and ask myself "why do I hate that thing?" When I sink back into those thoughts.

A couple of my friends are still like that though, seemingly pissing on everything that has any form of marketing behind it, excluding things promoted by e-Sports culture.
 
Crafty_ said:
I should clarify that I also hate a lot of mainstream shit as well. I absolutely cant stand 90% of todays popular music, most summer blockbusters are terrible, etc. But I like to think it's because I genuinely think it's bad, and not because of some ulterior motive to stand out and appear different. I don't even like going to parties anymore, because it's all the same shitty trap and dubstep playing that I just can't stand listening to and pretending to like.
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Do you provide genuine reasons for disliking those things, or do you just stop when you deem them mainstream?
 
Ya I have some friends who love certain music genres and won't go near anything mainstream. Personally, I like everything.
 
sometimes things being made for the mainstream DOES make them bad. We shouldn't ignore that and just pretend that it's always a bad argument. I love Harry Potter but have no interest in reading Twilight or Hunger Games as they seem like books that got popular because everyone else was reading them.
 
Is Pulp Fiction really mainstream and Reservoir Dogs not? I'd say Tarantino is fairly mainstream in general these days which isn't a bad thing. A lot of people watch his stuff.
 
Sort of. I get sick of people like that, so I just sort of stop hanging out with them or talking to them if they're super vocal about it. I'm an adult and don't want to deal with that sort of shit anymore. I have better things to be doing with my time, ha.
 
tryagainlater said:
Is Pulp Fiction really mainstream and Reservoir Dogs not? I'd say Tarantino is fairly mainstream in general these days which isn't a bad thing. A lot of people watch his stuff.
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I have never in my life heard anyone complain about Pulp Fiction because it was "too mainstream". I've heard lots of people say Reservoir Dogs is better (a sentiment I share), but their levels of mainstream appeal has never been a consideration.
 
tarantino is a garbage mainstream director who panders to manchildren. why aren't they watching bela tarr.
 
What if I hate some mainstream stuff like pop music, fashion etc but love some mainstream movies , but also sometimes won't see some mainstream movies straight away when they come out, maybe not for a few years until the hype dies down?

On the other hand then I still went to see avengers and the dark knight (day one) and a lot more and enjoyed them, but still won't watch avatar (ferngully smurfs go dances with wolves don't sound like it would appeal to me)

Oh and hipsters bug the hell out of me

I'm a contradictive twat haha
 
FleckSplat said:
Do you provide genuine reasons for disliking those things, or do you just stop when you deem them mainstream?
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With music it's harder to articulate why you don't like it, I just know I don't like it. I will usually go into a mainstream song expecting to hate it however, and how could it ever have so many views versus something else that actually resembles talent and good music. I'll listen about halfway and go "yep, this is shit" and shake my head that it has over hundreds of millions of views and wonder why what I like to listen to is lucky to hit maybe ten thousand views, despite being vastly superior in my mind. It makes me wonder "maybe I am one of those people that hates mainstream shit for no other reason than it being mainstream", but then I'll listen to daft punk get lucky and be relieved that "no, I can enjoy mainstream stuff if it's good."
 
I dislike a lot of things that ordinary people consume, but I would not call myself anti-mainstream. It's more like I'm ultra-mainstream, traditional to the point where I'm boring to both "mainstream" and "non-mainstream" camps.

My favourite video game series (quite easily) is the Super Mario series.

My favourite film directors are Alfred Hitchcock and Stanley Kubrick.

My favourite cartoon is original Looney Tunes.

When I think of important literature (I'm more obsessed with writing than anything else) I think of The Holy Bible.

etc.
 
Crafty_ said:
for no other reason than it's mainstream? Like the people that want to pound in your head how bad Pulp Fiction is, and how vastly superior Reservoir Dogs is. Can't they both be really fucking good? At first you may think "so? that's just their opinion", but no. The further into the discussion you'll get, the more likely they'll slip and just spit it out "it's too mainstream" or some garbage like that. Why do some people do this? Does it give us a sense of intellectual superiority over the 'common folks'?
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Yup.

I used to have a pair of friends who were super super super in to Dir En Grey, then the moment they started touring america and started getting popular, they suddenly didn't like them anymore. It's super silly, especially when they come to town and I ask them if they want to go see them live and they're like, "y....I mean, naw man. They're played out now, they sold out to the american system, who wants to see that?"their hands balled into fists and their lips quivering.

teruterubozu said:
No, but GAF fills my quota.
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Boosh
 
Wafflecakes said:
So yes you hate mainstream things?
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No, because mainstream things aren't necessarily stupid. It's the quality of stupidity I dislike not the quality of popularity. The Harry Potter books is a good example of something that is profoundly mainstream yet not at all stupid.
 
Not as much a problem with "mainstream" but I have a friend who doesn't like 500 Days of Summer strictly because they reference the Smiths in it. And he said Her was not good because Spike Jonze was trying too hard to make a Spike Jonze movie.
 
No, I don't keep people like that around. I know people that hate a bunch of popular things, but they at least have arguments of why they don't like it.
 
Foxtastical said:
As you get older, you encounter much less of these people in your life. As you begin meeting more and more people that take on adult responsibilities and have a better understanding of who they are and the things that make them happy and smile, you don't have to deal with this shit anymore.

Being genuine about the things that make you happy, regardless of what others think, is a fantastic thing. And I love to see that in other people.
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Good post. This is my experience as well.
 
Crafty_ said:
With music it's harder to articulate why you don't like it, I just know I don't like it. I will usually go into a mainstream song expecting to hate it however, and how could it ever have so many views versus something else that actually resembles talent and good music. I'll listen about halfway and go "yep, this is shit" and shake my head that it has over hundreds of millions of views and wonder why what I like to listen to is lucky to hit maybe ten thousand views, despite being vastly superior in my mind. It makes me wonder "maybe I am one of those people that hates mainstream shit for no other reason than it being mainstream", but then I'll listen to daft punk get lucky and be relieved that "no, I can enjoy mainstream stuff if it's good."
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You have particular tastes. That doesn't necessarily mean mainstream = shit.

I've tried to listen to country music, despite not growing up with it, and there are some songs I can listen to and enjoy, others are just not my cup of tea.

But boy have I heard indie bands that people recommend to me because "They're so genuine" and they suck terribly! ( I don't like really dirty sounding bands).

You can say the same thing about video games I suppose. I'm glad people are more into Earthbound more than there was when I was a kid in 1996, but I don't go around saying "Yeah, I used to like it until Nintendo made it mainstream".

Only thing you can avoid is turning into one of those people who shoves their particular tastes down your throat. Pretentiousness, especially when it's unfounded, is never a good look.
 
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