I’ve always been a sucker for the “popular” tab.

What’s on the front page of YouTube? What’s trending on Reddit? What books are everyone reading?

There are a few reasons why I tend towards this.

First, there’s this social desire to know what everybody else knows, to keep up with the times. You don’t want to be that guy at the party who’s been living under a rock – it’s just not a good look. You want to say smart and correct things, and have people nod at your intellect.

Second, there’s this fear that you’ll be left behind, like FOMO. Maybe that new book that has critics raving is the best ever written. That new movie with 98% on Rotten Tomatoes must be amazing! You wouldn’t want to miss out on that, right?

But third, and most importantly, I follow the popular tab because it’s easy. Finding out what you enjoy is tedious work. There’s so many YouTube videos, subreddits or books out there that you let the majority decide what your interests are. It’s easier than having to sift through all that content, and sitting through some potentially awful pieces of content.

But at what cost?

When we watch the videos everyone watches and read the books everyone reads, our opinion necessarily defaults to the majority’s. There is little room for exploration and carving out one’s own unique interests. If you only consume media that is generally regarded as “good”, you will avoid everything else.

As Murakami wrote,
“If you only read the books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking.”

But we must remember: just because most people like something, does not mean you will like it too. No great books, movies or pieces of art were created for everybody. The beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.

The best books I’ve ever read were rarely from a bestseller list. They were ones I chanced upon, perhaps from hearing it mentioned in a conversation, or just because I liked the cover in a bookshelf. I had often never heard of the author, and the ratings were often average on Google.

But after reading these, the bestsellers felt too safe, too predictable, too boring by comparison. From exploring the unorthodox, my tastes moved beyond the majority.

So instead the popular, why not check out the less known, more unique stuff out there? At first, it might feel strange to engage with authors nobody has heard of. The FOMO may hit hard, when everyone talks about the new bestseller on Amazon. But taking the road less traveled gives you a chance to carve out your own interests, and helps you find ideas that you personally resonate with.

The world is but a canvas to our imagination.