Ruined by Popularity: Treasures Wrecked by Mass Appeal

Sun shining through one of the arches at sunrise, Arches National Park in UtahPhoto byLHBLLC via Shutterstock

When cool things get inundated with too many people, they lose their appeal. Sometimes, the crowds become insufferable, and sometimes, the cherished product or service suffers as an owner attempts to appeal to the masses.

Here are some top trends that were super cool until they took off.

eBay and Etsy

eBay and Etsy began as fresh new worlds of possibility. Real people used these platforms to sell their old treasures or unique handmade creations.

They exploded in popularity, but with the masses came the commercial sellers hawking cheap, mass-produced junk.

Climbing Mt. Everest

Ascending the planet's highest mountain used to be reserved for experienced climbers facing nature’s most formidable challenge.

The appeal was too strong for the masses. As more and more people wanted to make the challenge, it became a mockery of what it once was. The mountainside is littered with trash, and people feel good about themselves for climbing as they hire Sherpas to do most of the hard work.

Pranks

Pranks used to be lighthearted jokes for friends, but the rise of YouTube stars using prank videos for shock content destroyed all the fun in them. Now, pranks are just downright mean.

Reselling

People could make great money reselling treasures found at auctions or garage sales. The popularity of shows like Pawn Stars and Storage Wars flooded the market with sellers looking to make their own fortunes, limiting the number of treasures available and raising the price of those treasures at every level.

Social Media

Social media was so fun back in the day! All your friends were there sharing pictures of their cats and latest adventures and waxing poetic about their latest philosophical thoughts.

Now, it’s an echo chamber of toxic opinions, fake news, and stupid ad videos.

Short Term Rentals

Airbnb created shockwaves in the travel industry. People could stay in a trendy apartment on the cool side of town or rent big houses for all their friends.

Of course, the investor class ruined it for everyone, buying up swaths of property to transform into short-term rentals, raising the prices of housing and travel while adding many hidden fees. It’s cheaper and easier to book a hotel.

Cheap Meats

The poor subsisted on cheap meats like ox tail or flank stake for decades until the rich decided these cuts were delicacies. It’s harder and harder to find affordable meats nowadays.

Photographer

Before everyone had smartphones, calling yourself a photographer meant something. Now that everyone has a camera on them 27/7, the profession has lost its appeal.

National Parks

Our National Parks preserve wildlife and natural resources, allowing everyone to enjoy them. Unfortunately, not everyone is the proud steward of nature they should be. Popular national parks get filled with trash because people can’t be bothered to keep them clean.

Gig Work

The gig economy used to work for folks who needed flexible employment options. However, as more people needed to join the gig economy to survive, wages declined, making it harder to make a living with these side jobs.

YouTube

The good old days of YouTube when ordinary folks could create videos of their cool hobbies are over. Corporations moved in, and everyone expects a perfectly polished video nowadays. If that’s what you want, why not watch regular TV?

Van Life

Life on the road used to be a fantastic adventure, but now that more and more people are moving into their cars because they can’t afford housing, it’s lost its appeal.

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This article was produced and syndicated by Partners in Fire.