It is often said that art imitates life, but what does life imitate? Do we imitate people we admire, or do we admire them because of our own preference? Is it merely as simple as that or are we just beginning to scratch the surface? Really though, is this topic even worth discussing? Am I ever going to stop askin questions as a preamble to my posts? Is this a coping mechanism or a means to save face? While I'm thinking about the answers, how about some Thought Bubble Thursdays?

This was a post that I thought about doing before the end of 2017. I hadn't initially thought of including it to this series, but I feel like it fits right in. This is a question that I've often wondered, and I feel like this resonates to other aspects of life. It's the eighth edition to this series, and I feel like now's a good time as any to diverge from the usual pattern. So, hold on to your horses.

People say that you can tell a lot about someone based on the people and things they like. As to who those people are, I feel like I don't have the liberty to say. But, do people like the things they like because of their own nature, or are they molded by the things that they gravitate towards? For the purpose of this discussion, let's focus on comics and popular culture. To effectively get the point across, I also need to divulge my own preferences. Yes, I need to be careful not to give my passwords away.

I Know De Wei

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Pop culture has been a huge factor in my upbringing. So, it's quite ironic that I gravitated towards characters that are not that popular. I say that with a caveat because I'm only basing that assumption through what I've seen in posts, videos, comments sections and forums. Shows and comics that I've supported almost always ended up cancelled mostly because of poor sales. It's tough to even cheer for them since I'm often times in the minority. Well, not that I ever really cheer for them because I have never really been a "die hard fan" of anything. Mostly just of the San Antonio Spurs, but we all know how popular that organization is (a discussion for a different post).

When you think of the X-Men, who normally pops up into your head first? Wolverine? Nightcrawler? Gambit? Heck, nowadays, even Deadpool perhaps? What makes these characters popular? Their gung-ho, too cool for school attitude? Maybe it's their backstories, their eye-catching costumes or cool powers? Would it surprise you to hear that I actually hate Wolverine? Am I going off again with the questions?

When I was a kid, I just thought I preferred the color blue, that's why I gravitated towards characters that sport that color. It was only when I grew older did I realize that I identified with the characters on a deeper level. Characters like Cyclops (who has since shed the blue off his costume) and Leonardo (of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, who has a more popular, Wolverine-like brother). In their respective franchises, these two are quite unpopular. Why is that though?

Before he broke out as an internet phenomenon, Knuckles the Echidna (not his Ugandan counterparts) has always played second-fiddle to the more popular Blue Blur called Sonic the Hedgehog. Now, Knuckles fits in the Wolverine mold quite a bit, but his lone wolf status is what gravitated me toward him.

Characters like Hawkeye (the oft-forgotten Avenger), Iron Fist (the oft-forgotten Defender), Kyle Rayner (the oft-forgotten Green Lantern), just to name a few (again, I'm trying to avoid divulging my password) are some of my unpopular favorites. Sometimes I feel like I'm intentionally picking unpopular characters just so I won't have to deal with so many other people who prefer the same characters.

In some cases, characters that I favor take time to get popular. Is it just a case of me being ahead of a trend or is it that the trend just so happened to sway my way? Whatever the case, I usually lose interest whenever a certain character becomes too popular. I don't know why it is. With that being said, it's time to put on your heated wet suit, and let's go down this iceberg!

The -Istics of a Character

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What makes characters like Cyclops and Leonardo so unpopular? They're the leaders of their teams, they have cool enough weapons/powers and they're popular with the ladies (wink wink), and yet they aren't received all that well. Is it because they're stickler to rules? Maybe people are deathly allergic of authority? Is being organized unappealing? I've always liked them when I was a kid for some reason, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it.

Back then, I was never really into leadership, even though I was often thrust into that role. I only ever embraced it back in the latter half of college and I haven't looked back since. My groups tend to excel, but my leadership style had a mixed reception. The results were there, but some felt rubbed the wrong way. Did I inadvertently emulate my idols or did I like them because I was inherently similar?

I admired Knuckles because of his sense of responsibility, even though he's often an outcast. Back when I first liked him, I was still a part of large group of friends so I couldn't relate to what he was going through. He never fit in to their society, and yet he did his best to fulfill his duty. Little did I know, it would be a precursor to what would happen to me socially. Was that a self-fulfilling prophecy or was it just a coincidence?

I've written about being constantly forgotten before, and I still have yet to get a handle on it. @dreemit's friend suffers the same fate, so at least I know I'm not alone. Naturally, I would gravitate towards characters who are as often forgotten as I am, right? But, the thing is, I've already supported characters who I didn't realize were oft-neglected even before I realize my own fate. Was it as case of the chicken and the egg? (Bad example, everyone knows the chicken came first)

There are many other similarities all of these characters and I share. Far too much that when you combine all of their characteristics, good and bad, it would look like a representation of... me. I'm not saying that these characters molded the person I am today (or am I?), but maybe (just maybe) I am projecting myself on these characters, the way people project themselves on me.

Would changing my preference change a thing? If I liked more popular characters, would that instantly make me more memorable? Would it change my attitude and how I take on the world? I feel like this post should be re-titled to "The Post with a Hundred Questions", should I change the title to that?

Here I am going on and on about me (again), how about you? What popular characters (or sports teams) do you like? Do they reflect your attitude or do you admire them because you want to be like them? Chime in with with your thoughts below. Let's discuss!

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@lukestokes.mhth knows de wei! Vote him as a STEEM witness to protect the kween :D

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_{Join me in my Year of Resilience!}