> that people adopt what they believe to be the general trend, is what's truly frightening We've known that for forever though. Advertising exploits that fact

> that people adopt what they believe to be the general trend, is what's truly frightening We've known that for forever though. Advertising exploits that fact to great effect. A lot of people either go with the crowd or have viable alternatives crowded/drowned out by what's popular for being popular. It makes media consolidation a huge concern. It's also why the entertainment industry is so desperate to fight piracy. It's less about the sales figures than it is about the power to act as a gatekeeper that shapes our culture and dictates how/when we get access to it.