[UserNameGoesHere]

I have come to the conclusion that mainstream sucks. Mainstream what? - you might ask. Mainstream anything. It doesn't matter what.

The problem with the mainstream is it tries to cater to everyone and in the process so caters to no one in particular -- at least no one interesting. So you're almost guaranteed mediocrity, with rare exceptions. Further, to find anything outside the mainstream wants/needs, you have to go out of your way - sometimes way out of your way.

So, I don't really have a problem with liking things which are mainstream or popular. Just don't like something because it is mainstream or popular. If you like something and that thing just so happens to be mainstream/popular, that's cool. If you like something because it is mainstream/popular, that's not. Make sense?

Also there tends to be the argument made that people who shun the mainstream are just trying to be "different" and thus all end up being "the same" as the others in their groups. For anyone who might make that argument, have you considered that their goal might not be to "be different" and that they may actually enjoy those things and enjoy being around other people who enjoy the same things they do?

I say enjoy/do what you like. If you like something and it happens to be mainstream -- cool. If you like something and it's not popular in the mainstream -- cool. But just like what you like. Don't let other people determine what you like and especially don't let corporate marketing drones determine it.