For those who challenge my thesis that there really is no "us" or "them," only "we," I offer this. The greedy avaricious types to which one responder referred, could not consistently benefit from their wrongdoing without our being willing to turn a blind eye, so long as our own ox is not being gored. "We" elect bad politicians, then allow them to stay in office. When someone offers a product or service "too good to be true," "we" quickly buy it. The late Walt Kelly's character Pogo, summed it up with "We have met the enemy and he is Us."

What some characterize as bland and inoffensive, or non-controversial, entertainment is popular because of human nature - people generally don't like to have another person's view of "truth" or "reality" thrown hard in their face when they come to be entertained. We need truth and reality and plenty of it, but those whose music is challenging to the listener in that way should probably not expect to be considered "mainstream," though Dylan and a few others have managed to come close.