General Age of Average: Breaking Out or a Comfortable Space?

[joelr]

The age of average — Alex Murrell

In the early 1990s, two Russian artists named Vitaly Komar and Alexander Melamid hired a market research firm to survey the public on what they wanted in a work of art. Across 11 countries they then set about painting a piece that reflected the results. Each piece was intended to be a unique a colla

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In the early 1990s, two Russian artists named Vitaly Komar and Alexander Melamid took the unusual step of hiring a market research firm. Their brief was simple. Understand what Americans desire most in a work of art.

Over 11 days the researchers at Marttila & Kiley Inc. asked 1,001 US citizens a series of survey questions.

What’s your favourite colour? Do you prefer sharp angles or soft curves? Do you like smooth canvases or thick brushstrokes? Would you rather figures that are nude or clothed? Should they be at leisure or working? Indoors or outside? In what kind of landscape?

Komar and Melamid then set about painting a piece that reflected the results. The pair repeated this process in a number of countries including Russia, China, France and Kenya.

Each piece in the series, titled “People’s Choice”, was intended to be a unique a collaboration with the people of a different country and culture.

But it didn’t quite go to plan.

Describing the work in his book Playing to the Gallery, the artist Grayson Perry said:

“In nearly every country all people really wanted was a landscape with a few figures around, animals in the foreground, mainly blue.”

Despite soliciting the opinions of over 11,000 people, from 11 different countries, each of the paintings looked almost exactly the same.

Have you ever thought about how so much of what we see today—movies, music, fashion, even online communities—feels the same? This idea hit me hard when I read about two Russian artists, Komar and Melamid, who tried to create art based on what people from different countries liked most. They polled thousands in different countries, asking about their favorite colors, settings, and more. The result? Almost every country wanted the same thing: a blue landscape with a few people and animals. It was like creativity took a backseat to what’s “safe.”

We all think we’re unique, but often we end up liking the same things. Now, 30 years later, this “safe sameness” seems to dominate everything, from the design of cities to the latest Netflix shows.

In online communities, I wonder if we fall into the same trap. Are we creating spaces that feel unique and exciting, or are we just copying what already works somewhere else? How much of what we build is inspired by actual needs versus what we assume people want?

• Are you breaking away from the “age of average” when building our forums and communities?
• Do you think people really want something new, or are they more comfortable with familiar ideas?
• How do you balance giving people what they expect versus surprising them with something fresh?

Maybe standing out is riskier, but it’s also where creativity thrives. What do you think—should we aim to be different, or is being “average” sometimes good enough?

 

[Ravenfreak]

I think forums don't have this problem with having similar themes. Lots of social media platforms are starting to look similar though, for example just look at Tumblr's new community feature. It looks exactly like Twitter, Bluesky, Threads, etc. Not to mention websites are looking boring now, gone are the cool custom css edits people make (again forums are the exception, most have cool unique themes) and now all you see are the same fonts, with simple and boring themes. Sadly people don't seem to care about the aesthetics of sites anymore, heck even Reddit no longer has customized CSS themes.

 

[Shawn Gossman]

• Are you breaking away from the “age of average” when building our forums and communities?
• Do you think people really want something new, or are they more comfortable with familiar ideas?
• How do you balance giving people what they expect versus surprising them with something fresh?

All this reminds me of the marketing strategy known as audience listening.

It's important to actively engage with your audience to truly understand the intent behind what they are trying to get out of your online community.

It's really not about the software you use or the features it provides at the end of the day, it's more about what they wish to gain from being a part of your community.

That's where engagement comes into play, like the Russian artists did with their subjects and then you can create something based on the intent of what you audience wish to gain from the product you have to offer.