Readers React: How much of the ‘Star Wars’ craze is due to ‘fear of missing out’?

To the editor: In analyzing why she ponied up 30 bucks to see “The Force Awakens,” the latest installment in the mega-blockbuster “Star Wars” franchise, Ann Friedman quite aptly concludes that the movie “is so popular because everyone knew it would be so popular.” This comes as no surprise in a culture that’s seen the Kardashians infamously become “famous for being famous.” (“Why did I pay $30 to see ‘Star Wars’?,” Opinion, Dec. 23)

Put another way, Friedman and her fellow film fans suffer from the “FOMO” syndrome. This “fear of missing out” increasingly seems to supplant whatever rational thought once went into the masses’ entertainment choices.

As movie and television audiences become ever more easy to manipulate, a parallel trend looms ominously: Certain astute politicians have noted that most of these credulous chumps vote.

Christine Hagel, Santa Maria, Calif.

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To the editor: Friedman writes about how she longs for “universal” cultural events.

I feel compelled to point out that America has had several cultural events that are both multigenerational and span decades: Operation Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom (rebranded Operation New Dawn) and Operation Iron Force, to name a few. I remember seeing Americans enthusiastically dancing in the street chanting “U-S-A!” on more than one occasion.

When it comes to war, there seems to be no end in sight of the possibilities, be those conflicts real or of the cinematic variety.

With its timeless cast of characters, including supreme deciders, evildoers, fallen heroes, behind-the-scenes experts, broken families and innocent victims, war’s power to draw us in never seems to diminish.

Steven Lisberger, Santa Monica

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To the editor: Friedman’s piece explaining that she decided to go see the latest “Star Wars” movie because of her social media network, even though she wasn’t very interested in the film, is a pretty good summation of why interest in Donald Trump is so high and why paid political ads by the other candidates have had no effect on his front-runner status.

Social media networks lead to inbred thinking and have a cascading effect.

As the current generation “revels in fragmentation,” big media with competing arguments is replaced by liking what your friends like. This is the digital equivalent of using a Ouija board to get answers.

Linda Kranen, Carlsbad

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