Taste for popularity is a powerful idea in culture. A straightforward example could be seen in music’s biggest stars. Some people like Taylor Swift because she’s popular. Some people like Taylor Swift and don’t really pay attention to her popularity. And some people look for things to dislike about Taylor Swift because her popularity sends the equivalent of a warning that she might be fake, dreck, or both. All three groups can agree on what a Taylor Swift song sounds like. Yet something outside the actual sound of the music—Swift’s status as a star—can send a range of signals, from pure appeal
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