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This seems to be extrapolating a lot from the original results. The study was done only on baby names. When you name a person, you have to consider the effect
by imp 17y ago
This seems to be extrapolating a lot from the original results. The study was done only on baby names. When you name a person, you have to consider the effect it will have on the person's whole life. So it makes sense to avoid names that are trendy. They'll sound stupid 50 years from now. I don't think people evaluate social networks or other products the same way.
- slpsys 17y agoI'm also confused by their own summary: "According to the results, the quicker a cultural item rockets to popularity, the quicker it dies. This pattern occurs because people believe that items that are adopted quickly will become fads, leading them to avoid these items, thus causing these items to die out." That seems to me to describe the psychology of non-adopters, not peak adopters who drop the service/item quickly.
- mike_organon 17y agoYes, and they are also assuming that sudden popularity causes the sudden unpopularity. If the trend they describe is true and common, it might be because the large number of people who follow fads quickly don't stick with them for long, while things of real quality take longer to be accepted, but are worth keeping around. Therefore, the conclusion and advice should be to make a high-quality product.