Popularity isn't a metric by which to prejudge content? Also, it really doesn't get less popular than the classics. And no, you will not understand them by osmo

Popularity isn't a metric by which to prejudge content? Also, it really doesn't get less popular than the classics. And no, you will not understand them by osmosis. Lovecraft was a big influence on Stephen King but it's not like reading a Stephen King novel magically grants you the experience of reading Lovecraft. It's fine if reading older stuff doesn't appeal to you (it doesn't appeal to hardly anyone), but you don't get to pretend like you're not missing out on anything. Just own the fact that you don't like that stuff.