The Homogeneity of Taste

I've been caught up in the maelstrom of buzz in social networks, namely Facebook, over the last few weeks.

There is a downside to a networked world and it's that there are virtually no smash-hit, regional or local cultural secrets anymore. Whereas before mainstream culture around the world lived in flavours of chocolate, strawberry and butter pecan - they now collectively live in a world of vanilla. The  vanilla might be great but it's still vanilla. 

Although I can't disagree with Chris Anderson on the future of The Long Tail (selling and consuming more of a lot of small-selling stuff), with every country now living in a shared global culture, the business at the head of the tail is so much bigger than ever before. There are believers including a recent New York  Time article that the future of the web, globalization of culture and the unbundling of entertainment (selling by the song, selling by the page, access to the best writers untethered to their newspapers) may actually further reduce choice not enhance it. 

Proof? Here's what I found when I downloaded Facebook aggregated profiles of 12 countries/cities from far flung places around the world - Toronto, New York, Los Angeles,London, Japan, Australia, India, Brazil, Russia, China, Egypt and Zimbabwe:

- Coldplay shows up as top 10 music choice in 10 of 12 countries
- The Notebook as a top 10 movie in 9 of 12 countries
- Family Guy as a top 10 TV show in 11 of 12 countries (maybe it doesn't air in India)
- Harry Potter as a top 2 book in 11 of 12 countries

Just 20 years ago, I used to get excited to see the different stuff I could buy in supermarkets across the border in Buffalo - now all I'm left with is Baby Ruth chocolate bars and Rolling Rock beer. Starbucks was also like that when I could only find it parts of Vancouver and Whistler...now it's everywhere and its "can't get this here" allure has lost its charm.

So...are we doomed to live a life of sameness in the future? Is the "great enabler" of the worldwide web creating less diversity not more? Are social networks accelerating this "culture hit" craze? Will I be able to travel to Morocco in a decade and still find local music? Stuff to wonder about...

Read my next post for at least the sliver of orange sherbert....