What makes something popular?

Not a trivial question, that. What brought that to mind was the reaction I get sometimes when I watch some videos. There are those that are popular and there are those that aren't. There's no getting around the fact that some stuff just doesn't work in terms of getting an audience.

Of course, that applies to this blog too as I am vitally interested in getting pageviews. What brings people to a post that I write? I wish I knew.

For instance, the top of the list for the last seven days running is the one about US Space Retreat, an interview by Glenn Reynolds of Jerry Pournelle. Yeah, they are popular, so that may explain some of it, but not all of it.

I looked at some videos in my YouTube subscriptions. One of them was of Petula Clark, a popular singer in the sixties. She had plenty of views, but nothing like Lady Gaga gets. Yes, I checked "Bad Romance" again, and it is up to 400,000,000 views. Unbelievable. It may be the reflection of the morals of society now as compared with the sixties. Or that it is old, as the sixties were fifty years ago. Petula Clark and Lady Gaga are about as far from each other as it gets. I'd say Lady Gaga is a cultural indicator that doesn't bode well for the future.

The song "Bad Romance" is frankly, depraved. It ends with a murder scene. Is that what people like these days?

As for the top post here in the last week, I just don't see that the Space Program is dead yet. It doesn't have to be. In fact, it may be headed in an upward trajectory soon. Why be down in the dumps when there are plenty of good things out there? I was thinking about my posts on this blog. Why not feel good about the progress that is being made instead of feeling depressed because the shuttle won't be flying anymore?

I guess I am always on the wrong side in terms of popularity. But I won't be compromising principle in favor of higher ratings. I'll continue to call em as I see em. If it means a lack of popularity, well, so be it.