"Likes" and "Follows" Amidst Lost Essence: How Popular Culture Swallows Individuality

Mark Twain's story in "The Million Pound Bank Note" serves as a fine example of the impact of popular culture and social media on individuals in today's world. The story of how an ordinary restaurant becomes famous after a millionaire (Henry Adams) dines there illustrates how society's perception of quality can be altered by popularity and visibility.

This tale demonstrates how, in the age of social media, the endorsement of a product, place, or experience by celebrities or well-known individuals can lead to the masses blindly following the same preferences.

Photos taken at popular tourist places like Istanbul's Ortaköy, as seen on social media, could be one such example. Such places are inundated with visitors simply because they are popular. But does the popularity of these places stem from the quality of the experience they offer, or is it merely due to visual appeal and other motives?

The blind following of popular culture can lead individuals away from discovering their unique interests and tastes, towards uniformity and the loss of individual originality.

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Individuals should explore their preferences, tastes, and values without being swept away by the wave of populism, looking beyond popularity. Quality should be measured by individual satisfaction and experience, rather than the approval of populism.