Little Apple poses big psychological question

As social animals, human beings tend to get recognition and a sense of security from fellow groups. In pursuit of security and group identity, people end up copying others, a phenomenon that extends to all walks of life, from food, clothes and cars to travel destinations, films and songs.

As to pop culture, when a trend or phenomenon becomes immensely popular, it triggers a snowball effect: the more popular a trend is, the more easily can it attract more people. This is why media outlets and even some official organizations have fallen to the charms of Little Apple - to attract more people's attention.

Considering these psychological, social and cultural characteristics, the popularization of "brainwashing pop songs" is not surprising. "Brainwashing" popular trends, in different forms, are as old as human society. Sociologist, philosopher and musicologist Theodor Adorno has a pessimistic view about such "brainwashing" music. He says pop music is a standardized, de-individualized (but ironically publicizing individualization) product. The way the audience accepts pop music is mandatory and passive: many people are brainwashed by such songs because of social conformity pressure or the earworm effect. He also says people's aesthetics will gradually degenerate and become inactivate after they are "brainwashed" into accepting such music.

The question, therefore, is: Can human beings conquer their psychological inertia, or will they surrender to it? This is human beings' eternal rivalry with themselves.

The author is a psychological consultant and commentator.