Yet Another Draft

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Have you ever questioned why it is that fads and trends occur? Most likely, you haven't bothered to worry about it. As a society, when it comes to what is the latest thing to wear, or the coolest word to say, the majority of us either jump right into the loop of things, or take a convicting stand as to why we choose otherwise. Surprisingly enough, there is a term for this behaviour known as the bandwagon effect. The bandwagon effect is when people choose to follow others without thinking over their actions. The bandwagon effect grows as more people join on and eventually can lead to something huge. (Smith). Effects can be both positive, such as movement to stop global warming, and negative, such as the numerous amount of people who believed in Hitler’s ideas of eradicating the Jews.

Dr. Seuss's story, “King Looie Katz” demonstrates an example of the bandwagon effect. In the story, the King of Katzen-stein, King Looie, decided his tail was too lovely to drag on the ground. Thus, he ordered another cat, named Fooie, to hold up his tail. Fooie, upset with his tail dragging on the ground, ordered another cat to hold up his tail. This charade followed on with the other cats, and everyone began holding one another’s each other’s tail, until the last cat took it upon himself to throw down the tail he was holding. This effect continued until all the cats were no longer holding anyone's tail, other than their own. However, Seuss’s stories, regardless of being fiction or not, hold a sense of truth to them. “King Looie Katz”, sets an example of how one cat following another can create a bandwagon effect. It's easy to see how the plot from the story can be relatable to the real-life situations and similar occurrences, whether it is in the fashion industry, in social networks or even among children’s toys. Taking this plot from the story and relating it to real-life situations is makes it easy to find a variety of similar occurrences.(This is repetitive of the sentence before it)The bandwagon effect happens on almost every level of human interaction (Smith).

A Looking at the very popular social-network site known as Facebook, it is clear that there are many similarities between the story of “King Looie” and this website. In King Looie, the cat who was told to hold Looie's tail, didn't really object or question him. Was this because of Looie's authority, and his influence upon the people of his city? Avril Autopsy, a regular Facebook user says, “I felt pressured into opening my facebook account. All those invitation emails and questions from friends pushed me to set up my profile. When I didn't have my account I felt out of the loop. When I didn't have an account I wouldn't be invited out as much. Facebook allows me to see what everyone is up to and to add myself into the picture”. Feelings of acceptance are vital to humans as we constantly need reminders of importance to others such as family and friends. Perhaps the reason the cats in Katzen-stein followed King Looie was because they didn't want to feel left out, or punished. But how was it that the tail-holding caught on so fast? Avril says, “I first started to notice Facebook when invitation emails began filling up my inbox.” Facebook allows you to import all of the contacts in your address book into invitation emails, that way you can inform everyone you know in a matter of seconds. This being one of the most powerful viral marketing strategies (Newton). Similarly the cats in Katzen-stein most likely used some form of communication to spread the word, or otherwise just made the other cats aware by visually spreading the word.

In fashion, the bandwagon effect is usually always present. Many fashion trends become popular after people see them on a celebrity or someone that is admired. In “King Looie Katz”, it can be considered that the king was the figure that every cat looked up to. If it was an ordinary cat, other than the king, chances are, the bandwagon effect would not have taken place. Usually, the fad was around before that person made it popular, but what makes it popular is the person wearing it.

When it comes to following trends and fads, it's no surprise to consider the fashion industry to be the creator of many large bandwagon effects. There are a several fashion fads in history that can display the Bandwagon Effect like “King Looie Katz” does. For example, Hot Pants were very popular among young women in the 70s, but frowned upon in the workplace because they were so short and revealing. Surprisingly, this fad only lasted during colder months and faded before the warm weather came, probably because showing legs was more shock-provoking during the winter months when they weren't expected (BadFads). The bandwagon effect is present in this situation because people went along with what others were doing, even though their whole legs were exposed in freezing weather.

Another fad, which has become popular again in today's date, is Chuck Taylor's Converse. First made in 1917, Converses only became extremely popular in the 1980s when the famous basketball player, Chuck Taylor adopted them as his preferred shoe. Is this necessary? (I think this is necessary because we’re proving the point that Chuck Taylor’s only became necessary after he started wearing them, not before-Darian) After this was established, billions of pairs were sold worldwide. Despite the cheap rubber and canvas material, people pay approximately $70.00 per pair, and buy many different pairs. This is another example of the bandwagon effect because people jumped on the Converse Wagon, without thinking about whether they're worth the money.


Another bandwagon phenomenon took place during the 1980's with Cabbage Patch Kids. These dolls were all the craze with kids (This is an awkward sentence-Darian). Each came with their own birthday, adoption papers, and birth certificate. Every single one was unique and “one of a kind”. In the year of 1985, they sold over $600 million in record sales. On a smaller, but just as odd scale, Pet Rocks also seemed to hit it big with the kids in the '70s. In fact, the original rocks were just ordinary gray stones, brought from store, and marketed as live pets. Other similar phenomenons took place with Raggedy Ann Dolls (1910's), Mr. Potato Head (1950's), Beanie Babies (1990's) and Barbies (first launched in 1959). But what made these toys so popular? What made each child want to have one? Similarly, what made the cats want to hold up another cat's tail?

These examples all relate to the bandwagon effect, where a group of people do things because many other people do the same things, without really thinking for themselves. Many times, people follow others by word of mouth. The cats in Katzen-stein held up another cat's tail because someone told them to. Since everyone was doing it, they felt that they should do it too. In retrospect, parents of the 80's, or any generation for the matter, were most likely following the trend of the time by observing and listening to what other people had to say. Or it was because someone told them to? Most people aren't too keen on buying something, or following something that isn't popular or valued highly by the majority. However, when people hear good things or see other people with a certain product, they feel more comfortable to “jump on the bandwagon”. In essence, “there's a comfort in large numbers” and this follows through not only with the cats in Katzen-stein, but with toy industry as well.

CONCLUSION: The Bandwagon Effect is clearly displayed in Dr. Seuss’s, “King Looie Katz”. It is “an observed social behaviour in which people tend to go along with what others do or think without considering their actions” (S.E. Smith, WiseGeek.com). The cats in “King Looie Katz” jump on the bandwagon without considering their actions. They didn’t consider that they would be holding a selfish cat’s tail in front of them, without a fundamental purpose. The Bandwagon Effect is also present in our everyday life, in fashion, toys, and hobbies. When one plans on doing something, they should consider whether they are doing it for themselves, or to prove something to other people by just jumping on the bandwagon.