I agree with Patrice here. My brother and sisters think I'm weird because I go out of my way to eat "exotic" food or listen to strange music. I don't really think of it as going out of my way at all, but rather finding the things I enjoy. My brother and sisters do the same things, but the things they enjoy are more popular and therefore easier to find. They like things like country music, Metallica, bowling, stock car racing, steak and hamburgers, doing home improvement projects, etc. Not that I don't also enjoy at least some of those things, but I don't expect most people to go out of their way to find odder stuff when what they want is right in front of them. I don't think it's due to a lack of access that my sisters don't have any Sun Ra albums, they've heard the music at my house (or at my wedding!) and still don't like it. Even if something odd becomes somewhat popular and gets advertising and word of mouth promotion or whatever, it's usually just a fluke. For example the "bluegrass" resurgence due to O Brother Where Art Thou. My family thinks that's one weird movie, I thought it was a cute take on Homer. So, while advertising and what not are certainly powerful tools (otherwise no one would bother to use them), I think that all the folks in at least the US and Canada and Japan and Australia and Europe really have enough knowledge and choices that they can make their own decisions and we shouldn't feel too bad about it. Rob Patrice Roussell wrote: Maybe your problem is that you don't understand (or don't want to) people's need at large. Do you really believe that Derek Bailey backed up by Turner could fill arenas? Do you feel that French kids who go to MacDonald are not aware of the existence of French cuisine? Maybe it is better to use conspiracy theories instead of facing the fact that we are (specially when obscessed with obscure forms of arts) clueless (at best), or ashamed (at worst) of people's need at large.