The Gangnam Style Phenomenon

It might seem trivial at face value, but it is very psychosocial in nature.  The most viewed version of "Gangnam Style" tops the most viewed youtube video with a blistering 2.3 billion views (twice as many as the second most viewed, "Baby" by Justin Bieber).  "Gangnam Style" secures 10% (strangely, it was exactly 10%) of all the top ten most viewed combined.  It's silly, catchy, fun, mesmerizing, and even sexy.  So why do so many people like it?  To better understand where I'm coming from in the rest of this post, you should watch the video, decided if you like it and ask yourself why you do or don't like it.  I chose the HD official music video, so it won't reflect the number of views that I mentioned.

"Gangnam Style" by Psy

Humor:
The rapper plays, makes fun of himself, performs a silly dance, pokes fun at social norms and trends, and even might inspire others to be humorous.

Charisma:
We've all known that charisma is a desirable trait and can make people convincing; thus, powerful.  So, what is it about charisma that makes most of us want to have it and be around people who do?  If you've been around someone who has it, what do you remember about being around that person?  They are confident, fun, easy to get along with, often funny, and tend to focus on what is happening now.  They also seem to be much happier people, also a desirable trait.  Most women agree that charismatic men are far more desirable than men who lack that quality;  I'm uncertain, but I would venture a guess that this appeal factor could be linked to a woman's inherent need for survival.  Psy plays the charismatic rapper very well and even President Obama, who is known for his charisma, not only took notice, but made his own "Obama Gangnam Style" music video (click the link below).

"Obama Gangnam Style"

He does very well and conveys many of the same messages as the original.  Besides, it's nice to see a public servant do something like this... It shows a side to him that we ordinarily wouldn't get to see and know.

The music:
The music is catchy, rhythmic, memorable, and, depending upon taste, enjoyable.

Sex appeal:
Most people know that "sex sells."  This video is very sexual in nature and it's not just sexy, it exudes sexual confidence.

The dance:
It's silly and pretty easy to replicate.  Dance has been important to humans for a very long time.  Because this particular dance doesn't require a lot of time and dancing abilities, people can replicate it themselves and, hopefully, have as much fun as Psy seems to be having.

"Jump on the bandwagon!" factor:
Throughout the video, it's not just Psy dancing in a silly way, everyone seems to join in.  This implies, "everyone is doing it and so should you."  This can be seen in the trends that have affected society.  In that, once a trend reaches a certain point, it really takes off due to the fact that people don't want to be left out- people generally strive to be a part of a group.  This can be seen throughout history and amongst other creatures.  It generally ensures survival.  If you want to understand why certain things suddenly change, "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell is an interesting book on the point where drastic changes can happen.



There a many other potential driving forces with this video.  Freud's works can also help, but I didn't want to touch on that because this post wasn't intended to be in depth.