---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Popularity contests are not reliable…"
description: "\"“Popularity contests are not reliable measures of truth.”\" — Mark Strassler"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a2/mark-strassler-260361_truth_popularity-contests-are-not-reliable-mea_1131319.jpg"
---

#  Popularity contests are not reliable measures of truth.

![“Popularity contests are not reliable measures of truth.” quote by Mark Strassler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a2/mark-strassler-260361_truth_popularity-contests-are-not-reliable-mea_1131319.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a2/mark-strassler-260361_truth_popularity-contests-are-not-reliable-mea_1131319.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a2/mark-strassler-260361_truth_popularity-contests-are-not-reliable-mea_1131319.jpg)

> ““Popularity contests are not reliable measures of truth.””

[Mark Strassler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-strassler/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Popularity contests often fail to reflect truth because they measure visibility, not accuracy.

**In simple terms:** Popularity contests don't reliably show truth.

Key Takeaway

Question the validity of popular opinion.

Themes

truth media critical thinking

Mood

critical analytical

Type

observation caution

When to use this quote

- election polling
- viral trends
- product reviews

Key Concepts

popularity bias measurement errors social influence

Questions to Reflect On

- How does popularity distort reality?

A Different Perspective

What metrics better capture truth?

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Contests Reliable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contests-reliable-3109528/) [Measures Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/measures-truth-1540733/) [Popularity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/popularity/) [Popularity Contests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/popularity-contests-247650/) [Reliable Measures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reliable-measures-3109529/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/)

## Related quotes

> [ The social \[media channel\] isn't about beauty contests and popularity contests. They're a distortion, a caricature of the real thing. It's about trust, connection,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umair-haque/the-social-media-channel-isn-t-about-beauty-contests-and-popularity/)

[Umair Haque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umair-haque/)

> [Elections, for their part, are typically popularity contests rather than measures of candidates' relative competency or effectiveness. Imagine if scientific truth were determined according…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/elections-for-their-part-are-typically-popularity-contests-rather/)

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> [Women on the way up generally fail to win popularity contests. The only compensation is that once you're there you will become very well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-wyse/women-on-the-way-up-generally-fail-to-win-popularity-contests-the/)

[Lois Wyse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-wyse/)

> [When I got into rap I didn't exactly win any popularity contests. I called myself Dee Dee King, after B.B. King, to the total…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-dee-ramone/when-i-got-into-rap-i-didn-t-exactly-win-any-popularity-contests-i/)

[Dee Dee Ramone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-dee-ramone/)

> [The longest sword, the strongest lungs, the most voices, are false measures of truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-whichcote/the-longest-sword-the-strongest-lungs-the-most-voices-are-false/)

[Benjamin Whichcote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-whichcote/)

> [“measures of truth fall short. God’s Way doesn’t always make sense; it is incoherent by rationalistic standards. Like Jesus, God’s truth is sometimes inappropriate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-schnasa-jacobsen/measures-of-truth-fall-short-god-s-way-doesn-t-always-make-sense-it/)

[David Schnasa Jacobsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-schnasa-jacobsen/)

> [Don't let anyone tell you that standardized tests are not accurate measures. The truth of the matter is they offer a remarkably precise method…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfie-kohn/don-t-let-anyone-tell-you-that-standardized-tests-are-not-accurate/)

[Alfie Kohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfie-kohn/)

> [My job isn't to win popularity contests.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-devos/my-job-isn-t-to-win-popularity-contests/)

[Betsy DeVos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-devos/)

> [I think it's good to, especially when you start to get to achieve certain levels of success and start doing a lot of interviews…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-prowse/i-think-it-s-good-to-especially-when-you-start-to-get-to-achieve/)

[David Prowse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-prowse/)

> [As his former chief of staff, I can't imagine Boris Johnson felt very comfortable telling the British people to 'stay at home.' But when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-boles/as-his-former-chief-of-staff-i-can-t-imagine-boris-johnson-felt-very/)

[Nick Boles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-boles/)

> [He cast off his friends as a huntsman his pack, For he knew when he pleas'd he could whistle them back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/he-cast-off-his-friends-as-a-huntsman-his-pack-for-he-knew-when-he/)

[Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/)

> [“One of the eternal verities of human life is that if you make the same choices as other people, they will think you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-hammond/one-of-the-eternal-verities-of-human-life-is-that-if-you-make-the/)

[George Hammond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-hammond/)

> [Popularity isn't just something that happens. You have to give something in exchange for it, and that's the dangerous part of the process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bringhurst/popularity-isn-t-just-something-that-happens-you-have-to-give/)

[Robert Bringhurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bringhurst/)

> [“Alles Populäre ist falsch.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/alles-popul-re-ist-falsch/)

[Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/)

> [If sexuality is beginning in such a skewed way: that boys expect to receive sexual pleasure and girls are expected to give it without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cris-mazza/if-sexuality-is-beginning-in-such-a-skewed-way-that-boys-expect-to/)

[Cris Mazza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cris-mazza/)

## More Popularity quotes

> [ The social \[media channel\] isn't about beauty contests and popularity contests. They're a distortion, a caricature of the real thing. It's about trust, connection,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umair-haque/the-social-media-channel-isn-t-about-beauty-contests-and-popularity/)

[Umair Haque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umair-haque/)

> [“Alles Populäre ist falsch.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/alles-popul-re-ist-falsch/)

[Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/)

> [Popularity isn't just something that happens. You have to give something in exchange for it, and that's the dangerous part of the process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bringhurst/popularity-isn-t-just-something-that-happens-you-have-to-give/)

[Robert Bringhurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bringhurst/)

> [“One of the eternal verities of human life is that if you make the same choices as other people, they will think you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-hammond/one-of-the-eternal-verities-of-human-life-is-that-if-you-make-the/)

[George Hammond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-hammond/)

> [He cast off his friends as a huntsman his pack, For he knew when he pleas'd he could whistle them back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/he-cast-off-his-friends-as-a-huntsman-his-pack-for-he-knew-when-he/)

[Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/)

> [As his former chief of staff, I can't imagine Boris Johnson felt very comfortable telling the British people to 'stay at home.' But when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-boles/as-his-former-chief-of-staff-i-can-t-imagine-boris-johnson-felt-very/)

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> [I think it's good to, especially when you start to get to achieve certain levels of success and start doing a lot of interviews…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-prowse/i-think-it-s-good-to-especially-when-you-start-to-get-to-achieve/)

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> [If sexuality is beginning in such a skewed way: that boys expect to receive sexual pleasure and girls are expected to give it without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cris-mazza/if-sexuality-is-beginning-in-such-a-skewed-way-that-boys-expect-to/)

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> [A popular vote to ascertain the will of the sovereign.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/a-popular-vote-to-ascertain-the-will-of-the-sovereign/)

[Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/)

> [That one day of popularity on facebook because it's your birthday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-one-day-of-popularity-on-facebook-because-it-s-your-birthday/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I don't care with my popularity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susilo-bambang-yudhoyono/i-don-t-care-with-my-popularity/)

[Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susilo-bambang-yudhoyono/)

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[Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/)

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[J.K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling/)

[Browse all 916 Popularity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/popularity/)

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