If lots of articles are written saying that popularity is all that matters, then people will start believing it, and it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. That's the narrowness.
I don't subscribe to this philosophy. People will repeat it in certain contexts to avoid sounding out of touch and incurring social bullying but I have genuine doubts that their beliefs can be so easily manipulated.
> and it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy
If you do believe this then your answer is just to write a bunch of articles in the opposite direction. It's a gross sort of world to accept living in; though, this is probably why I hold the belief I've espoused above.