Experiencing palpitations to the extent that many people on this forum do seems, at least on the surface to be rare, after all I don’t meet many people (any people) who share the same symptoms, apart from people on the internet.  As a result it’s easy to think, if experiencing regular heart palpitations is normal, then why don’t more people experience them?  I mean if it’s so benign then why don’t average joe’s regularly experience palpations after a hard day at work?  The exclusiveness of it is one of the things that worries me.  Why is it just this elect group of people and not a significant minority?  

ALOT of people experience them. Most people are just not as sensitive to them, and there are many people that don't even feel them. I acually have a friend that has them. He went to the ER freaking out after tests and being told it benign he went about his business. He rides a motorcyle and does tricks on it, they don't slow him down a bit. My Mom also gets them here and there and she thinks nothing of them. She's 65 years old LOL. Ahhhh if only I could be like them  

I often speak with a cardiologist,informally, his special interest is heart rhythym (spll).
I asked him a similar question. He told me, basically, everyone gets them. however only half can feel them. I believe of the half that can feel them we are a part of a group with an anxious and obsessive response. therefore, we feel them but we don't just brush it off. we ruminate on them and fear. I think that while we anxiously obsess and allow our panic instinct to control we'll continue to feel them.

for example,
my palps started.after my grandma passed of a heart attack. I had the palps for about a month or 2 when finally I began forcing myself to run and play soccer again. even though I was scared I forced myself to.leave.for camp. after that point I didn't get another palps until 2 years later after I became pregnant. they've stuck around since then. and for the life of me I can't figure out how I precisely got them to take a long walk off a short bridge again.

Just too add to this, I was laying on my fiances chest this morning and he was having them. He had no clue, I didn't tell him though. I  wouldn't want to freak him and out and have him end up like me LOL.