Mainstream - what it is in simple terms

What it is in simple words

The above term refers to a currently popular trend in any field. It can also be otherwise called a mainstream trend or a mass trend.

This definition was first used in such areas as music and literature. After a while, the term migrated to all areas in which it is possible to identify a popular trend. This refers to social, scientific, entertainment, political and other spheres. Absolutely every field of human life has its mainstream. They exist for a while, and then they just cease to be new and along with that cease to be mainstream.

Hookahs were mainstream around 2012-2013. Everyone and everywhere was talking about them. After a while, the vaping industry began to actively develop. And no wonder, because it was a new way to consume nicotine. A huge number of people bought electronic vaporizers, instead of regular cigarettes. A small amount of time has passed and vaping is not considered mainstream at the moment.

Also a good example is "selfies" or taking pictures of food for instagram. But taking pictures of yourself can still be considered mainstream, as many people still do it.

The meaning of the word in slang

Few young people fully understand what this concept means. Yes, in general, we can say that the mainstream is some popular current in the culture. But, at the same time, a synonym can be considered a word of ordinariness, gray mass. It can also be used to call people who do not want to stand out, but simply go with the flow.
Thus, the phrase "I do not depend on the mainstream" can be explained as "I do not depend on ordinary people who do not want to express themselves.

Mainstream is bad or good

Some people by the mainstream mean an opportunity to blend in with the crowd, find a group of like-minded people and feel like they belong. For others, such behavior is unacceptable. This trend has both pluses and minuses. To the positive features include the ability to feel the collective spirit and the ability to keep up with the times. With these points, everything is simple and clear.
On the other hand, the mainstream is good work by marketers plus radio. People see some new trend or feature, and then they promote it to their friends and relatives. But you can't say one hundred percent that this is a bad thing. Let's imagine that this is how something good is advertised. For example, the trend of cleaning various polluted places in nature. Thus, from such a popular phenomenon no one gets worse, on the contrary, people help nature.
Of course, the mainstream has disadvantages. Among them is the possibility of "merging with the crowd" and thereby lose their individuality. Also, any current has people who have long been in the "theme". For example, some musical group suddenly became sharply popular. At the same time, a representative of a musical genre has old fans who are not happy with the new fans, because they probably don't like the music. But people call themselves fans, because at the moment it is fashionable.

The modern mainstream is

Mainstream now refers to any mass trend popular in society. The word is used to show the contrast between mass culture and alternative, underground and any other non-mass phenomena. That is, the concept is designed for a huge number of people who will consume it. In modernity, it is a fashion for some things or even behavior.
If we are talking about the Internet in general and social networks in particular, then of course, VKontakte (or Facebook), Instagram and, of course, cats. Photos and videos of cute furries are absolutely everywhere.

The essence of the term

In fact, the mainstream can be replaced by a synonym for "fashion movement. A large number of people follow it, many people talk about it. The mainstream cannot be equated with being unequivocally bad or unequivocally good. Everyone decides for themselves whether to follow the crowd or stay true to their own principles, like being a fan of their favorite band.

At the same time, we can say that in movies the mainstream is everything that cannot be called arthouse. And art house movies are not for everyone. Now the mainstream subjects for movies are about superheroes. For example, the well-known and beloved "Avengers.