How often do we assume that popular things are good, and that good things become popular?
If your work doesnโt catch on, does that mean it wasnโt good?
In almost every field, people with insight, taste and experience admire and emulate good things that arenโt popular, and are surprised by popular things that arenโt good.
Perhaps we need to broaden our definition (or narrow it) so we can be clear about what we mean.