And I said, "What about Breakfast at Tiffany's?"

The phrase: A bandwagon fan

The question: So what?

People like other people with whom they have something, anything in common. It doesn't even have to be profound. Sharing a birthday or an arbitrary group assignment will do. It's a fact of life. So the clear divide among Lakers fans is a mystery to me. During this year's finals, I was surprised to come across an overwhelming number of disparaging remarks from "real" Lakers fans towards "bandwagon" Lakers fans. Things like "to all my friends that say you are Lakers fans, 90% of you are a joke." Arguably funny...and unwarranted. If it means that you'll have ten more people standing at the sidelines rooting with you, why does anything else matter?

So to all the Real-Lakers-Fans-United-Against-Bandwagon-Fans, how do you feel about being a "bandwagon" soccer fan? Because that's how other countries probably feel about Americans. Apparently, Americans' early disinterest in soccer stems from the results-orientation of our culture. Low-scoring is uninteresting to us; we like to see activity. Points. But this year, Americans seem to be much more interested in soccer than they they previously were. Who knows or cares why people are watching (though I have one guess as to why: Twitter). It's a truly "the more the merrier" type of deal.

Knowing I would be unable to watch the Germany-Argentina game live, I recorded it and watched it alone last night. As I reveled in each of the four goals, I felt a dearth of social connection. Probably how I would feel if only "serious" soccer players and connoisseurs followed the tournament (in which case I probably wouldn't have been watching in the first place). Klose's goal (and subsequent backflip) was, in the moment, something to talk about. But when I witnessed it 14 hours later, it was old news. There is nothing like the up-to-the-minute Twitter, Gchat, and Facebook status updates that accompany live games. It's a uniquely bonding experience. Witnessing the buzz of a trending topic or comment thread is not nearly as fulfilling as being a part of it. These social sites are inviting us all to hop on the bandwagon. It's more fun on it than off it.

A couple days ago, one of my oldest friends tweeted, "Proud bandwagon follower of the #worldcup. ESPANA!" Growing up, she attended few to none of my soccer games (not that my youth or high school leagues can even compare to the skill and intensity of a worldwide tournament) and we've rarely ever talked about soccer together. But the Tweet made me think. When I compare my World Cup viewing experience between this year and that of four years ago, the main difference is blatantly obvious: this year's is more social. I feel that more of my friends are following the games this year, some that never before expressed any interest in soccer. Whether they're watching because they want to create a trending Tweet or because they are die hard fans is irrelevant to me. I'm more interested in the fact that we can enjoy the suspense and thrilling action together.

The excitement of discovering a shared preference for a book, song, band, mobile phone, television show, etc. is unparalleled. In fact, finding a commonality is a necessary tool for building and maintaining a friendship. That's why I like how Pandora tells me which of my Facebook friends like the song that's playing. Broadening your horizons and at least attempting to appreciate what others appreciate is a social skill.

I'm not belittling the freshness of individuality or suggesting that we all be followers. But in some situations, when it means it will foster conviviality, there's nothing wrong with the bandwagon effect. Just don't compromise your morals in the process. As Thomas Jefferson once said, "In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." And hey, ironically, he drafted the Declaration of Independence, so he must know what he's talking about (Happy 4th!).