Well, I am one who has taken up wearing a helmet, precisely because of all these threads. After hearing all the fuss, I wanted to see what it was about for myself.
See, I am from the old school, where one decides for oneself what to choose. Usually this is done by examination, research and experimentation.
So what better way than to try out a few helmets? People like me are a dying breed, I suspect.

I say this because, as I've watched the New Age helmet lore build, I see how readily people have just accepted what they are told about cycling helmets... without question.
Fear for ones supposed safety and the stigma of not conforming to the group mind has become very persuasive, indeed.
I suppose it helps that celebrities like Oprah and Barney the Dinosaur endorse helmets, too.