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FtttG  Gheobhaidh mé bás ar an gcnoc seo.  21hr ago (docs.google.com)   Edited 20hr ago   914 thread views

The Motte infidelity survey

docs.google.com

In yesterday's small-scale questions thread, @cjet79 asks why the song "Mr. Brightside" by The Killers has had such staying power, famously staying in the UK singles charts decades after its initial release. Some explanations (including my own) point to its compositional elements; others focus on its lyrics and subject matter. @100ProofTollBooth argues that it's a very universal and relatable song, as "The experience of infidelity (to some degree) is common to many (most? idk) people."

I'm curious if this is really the case, so I decided to go Aella mode and created a simple survey to find out about people's experiences with infidelity. It consists of a few demographic questions (age, sex, sexual orientation, relationship style), then asks you if you've ever had an unfaithful partner, then asks you if you've ever been unfaithful to a partner.

Completely anonymous, and I've set it up so the form doesn't collect email addresses if you're logged in.

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Clearly the song is just popular because of the masterful rhyme bait and switch. You know the one. It is truly masterful.

I never thought it was about infidelity as such, it could be, but it could equally be a song about the immediate aftermath of a breakup where the singer is tormenting himself with imagining his ex-girlfriend has moved on and is with a new guy/is casually dating.

Mostly I think it's because the beat is catchy and you don't even have to pay attention to the lyrics, you can just as easily sing along "na na" until you get to the part to bawl out "I'M MISTER BRIGHTSIDE!!!!"

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