My taste in music is better than yours...
 

(note* not written by me, from friend. Also this applies well to this forum considering we have mannny Nickelback hate threads and music prudes.)

EDITORIAL NOTE (for lazy people): If you don't like to read paragraphs (for fear of hurting your brain) then please skip straight to the uber-funny sketch at the end of this article. If, on the other hand, you can actually handle reading more than four sentences in a group without your mind wandering off to thoughts of what's on TV tonight, then you can start reading here.... and now, on to the article.

Human behavior is intriguing. One such behavior is how the average person approaches the topic of taste in music. We all have tastes. Tastes in food. Tastes in men/women. Tastes in movies. You name it. But for some reason, no taste seems to carry with it the fervent arrogance and xenophobia that a person's taste in music often does. If you meet someone, and you start discussing food, chances are that you won't even notice if they mention liking a food that you dislike. Most people just accept it as normal. "Oh... you like fish, eh... I'm not a big fan it it." But mention a band that they hate, and watch the wonder that is human self-conceit... "What? You like Blink 182?!? Dude. They're, like, the worst band on the planet. Seriously. What's wrong with you? You really need to get a new taste in music". As if acquiring a new taste in anything is even physically possible, and as if there is such a thing as a "better" or "worse" taste in music. Now, for many of you, cognitive dissonance is already kicking in and telling you that, somehow, your taste in music IS indeed "better" or "more refined", but it's not. I know... it's hard to accept that what your ears prefer means absolutely nothing to anyone but you, but it's true. I'm sorry to have crushed your entire worldview. Laughing

Anyway, I was perusing one of my favorite recording-related forums today (GearSlutz ), and I ran across a thread about a particular band. Now, this particular band (Nickelback), is intensely hated, pretty much all over the internet. I'm not sure why, but somehow, they have acquired all of the ingredients needed to form a bermuda triangle of band-hatred stemming from every corner of the globe. The thread went on for 5 pages of people just adamantly insisting that Nickelback was devoid of all goodness and talent and worth, and that anyone who thought otherwise was a soul-less dimwit. After it was all said and done, I thought, "Wouldn't it be odd if people argued like this over their tastes in food?" So I started typing a brief little script for just such a scenario...



WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE TREATED OUR TASTE IN FOOD LIKE WE TREAT OUR TASTE IN MUSIC.



[Two friends sit down at a table in a local burger joint]


Jim: Man... I'm starving. I haven't eaten all day.

Bob: Me neither man.

Jim: What you got there?

Bob: It's a triple cheese burger with everything. Same thing I always get. These things are awesome!

Jim: Really? You get the same thing every time?

Bob: Yeah, dude. Best burger in town.

Jim: What the hell's wrong with you?

Bob: Huh?

Jim: I said, "What... the... hell... is... wrong... with... youuuu?" How can you always eat the same thing? Don't you like variety?

Bob: Uh... I dunno dude... I found the thing that I like the most here and I just get that.

Jim: But that's STUPID. You can't just like one kind of thing and always just eat that... you have to try DIFFERENT things. You HAVE to have variety when it comes to taste in food.

Bob: What? No I don't. I like this and so I eat it.

Jim: But that's f#@king retarded. Are you stupid?

Bob: Dude... that's not cool.

Jim: Hey, I'm just drawing the obvious conclusion, here. Unlike you, I eat a different thing off of the menu every time I come here. That's the right way to do it.

Bob: Uh... ok.

Jim: Yeah... see... even though some things I don't like as "much" as others, I mix it up, because that's what you SHOULD do.

Bob: Uh.... ok. Whatever man. To each his own.

Jim: No, no.... none of this "to each his own" bulls#@t. I'M RIGHT. There is only ONE way to express your taste in food and that is to try all kinds of different things..... unless, of course, lots of people like it.

Bob: What??

Jim: Yeah... if it's something that lots of people like, it's bad.

Bob: Says who?

Jim: Says ME, dumb@ss. If it's a popular menu item, I won't eat it, because people are stupid..... and they're sheep, too... yeah... "sheep"... I like to call them "sheeple".... get it? ...it's a play on words.... I'm pretty witty like that.

Bob: Uh...

Jim: Yeah, so anyway... if lots of "sheeple" (tee hee) like it, then you know it's bad. You can't go liking food that the majority likes.

Bob: Why not?

Jim: BECAUSE, dude.... because that's the way it is. It's a universal truth that cannot be denied. I'm right. You'll just have to get used to it.

Bob: Man, you're really creeping me out here.

Jim: Whatever man... so anyway... today I'm trying the pickled pigs feet sandwich. It smells like absolute dogsh#t, but not a single SOUL has ordered this in over a month, so that means it's the coolest thing in this joint.

Bob: That's insane, dude.

Jim: You just don't GET it, man..... but that's OK. Not everyone can be as enlightened as me. You see, most people just don't realize that food HAS to be "different" to be "good". For example... I might like that triple cheeseburger. Hell, it might be the best thing I'd ever put in my mouth... but I'd never eat it. And even if I did, I would definitely never ADMIT it. It's just too "clichéd". Too many people have already jumped on that bandwagon. So what I'd do... is I'd take one of those triple cheese burgers and change a few things about it to make it "original". Yeah... that way, it's completely derivative, just like everything else, but most people don't realize it. So... I'd remove the cheese, and replace it with some whipped cream. Then I'd cut the burger open and stuff it full of chex mix. Yeah. And, of course, the exterior has to look totally different (that's the best way to make people think it's "original"). So I'd get rid of the buns and wrap it in scones instead. I'd get bonus points, because scones are British... and anything British is cool.

Bob: Dude... that's just gross.

Jim: Yeah... but it's DIFFERENT! And if you want to have good taste in food, you have to train yourself to like stuff that's different, even if it's kinda lousy.

Bob: Whatever, man... I'm going back to my "uncool" burger now.

Jim: Yeah, I figured you wouuu...what the F#@K is that???

Bob: What?!?!

Jim: That white thing hanging out of your burger?!?!?

Bob: Uh... it's an onion.

Jim: AN ONION??! What f#@king idiot put an onion on your burger?!?! Dude... I'd call the manager if I were you.

Bob: Uh... I asked them to put onions on it.

Jim: YOU WHAT?!?!? Why the hell would you do a thing like that?!?!

Bob: Because I like onions, you twit. Geez. What is your deal, man...? Everyone has different tastes... I like onions... you don't... whatever... it's just a normal part of life.

Jim: I know that people have different tastes. I'm not a moron. But how the hell could you like onions?!?! They taste like sh#t. I mean, seriously... onions are the worst tasting food on the planet. Only a f#@king retard would like onions!!

Bob: What is wrong with you dude?

Jim: What's wrong with me?!?!? What's wrong with YOU?!?! How can you call yourself an educated human being and actually like onions?!? What kind of unrefined, tasteless boob are you?

Bob: Holy crap, man... you have some serious issues.

Jim: It's probably all of those d@mn onion commercials they're always showing on TV. "Try onions... you'll like them". I mean really... the ONLY reason people like onions is because the TV tells them to. It's not physically possible that anyone could like onions of their own free will, because I don't like onions, and my taste in food is the gold-standard of the entire universe.

Bob: That's just plain absurd.

Jim: Is it? I submit that it is not! You just have to accept the fact that what I like is what determines somethings worth. For example, if a chef makes a dish that I don't like, that means the chef has no talent.

Bob: ...or that it just wasn't something suited to your tastes.

Jim: No, you dimwit. It means he has NO TALENT. If I don't like it, it means that the person who created it has no talent.

Bob: But nature created onions. Are saying that nature has no talent?

Jim: I guess I am. There's just no excuse for onions. They're pure evil.

Bob: You do realize that you sound completely insane getting that worked up over onions? I mean... it's just not healthy to have THAT strong of a hatred against a particular food. You just sound crazy.

Jim: Hey man... it's not crazy. It's just me trying to show you how WRONG you are for not liking the exact same thing as me. It's perfectly normal. And if you weren't so soul-less, you'd be doing the same thing.

Bob: Uh... but didn't you just say that I shouldn't do what other people are doing?? So, why should I do the same thing as you?

Jim: Hhhmm... I didn't think of that.

Bob: And what about foods that you like?

Jim: How do you mean?

Bob: Well... are there any foods that you like?

Jim: Hell yeah!! I like raw Ahi Tuna.... that's the best fish, by far (and if you don't think so, you're a tool). And I like goat's milk... and Venti Triple-Shot Soy Lattes... and..

Bob: [interrupts] OK... so what if I got everyone in here to like Ahi Tuna? Would you still like it?

Jim: Uh... well.. I mean... I guess I'd still like it... but if everyone else liked it too, then I'd probably start to find things wrong with it... and then eventually, I'd say that I never really liked it in the first place and that it was just a stupid phase I went through. I mean... I can't go liking something that everyone else is into... that's just lame.

Bob: [getting up from the table] Dude.... you are, hands down, the biggest idiot I know.

Jim: [following Bob out to the car] Hey, whatever man... that's just your opinion.

Bob: [starting car] Yeah... I guess it is.

[radio begins playing]

Jim: OOOH! Nickleback!! ....I LOVE this band!


WATYF

no its not

As if elitism with regard to food is such an absurd idea? I would call someone an idiot for putting ketchup on a nice steak.

And I simply thought it was common knowledge that peas are awful.

Ah, I found the first few big paragraphs a lot easier to read than the sketch itself tbh. :(

And my music taste is terrible: it includes synth pop, black metal, cheesy trance, noise/drone, etc. If anyone slagged me off for it, then they surely have that right. If some cases, I'll definitely agree with them, but I won't change it. Similarly, if some people love Nickelback, then good for them: I will give my opinion of them, but I won't require that they change their tastes to suit my views.

And variety in food is a good thing, in general... :thumb:

As much as i'd love to have fillet steak with caviar & white truffle sauce for dinner every night I can't afford to.
Which is why the analogy with food is a bad one.
An album doesn't increase with price the better it is.

www.megastuffyourfaceupload.com/bagofnuts

:beer:

Music is an art, food is a necessity for life.

I dont really 100% agree with everything my friend said, but i do think he makes to good points. And the food analogy is not perfect but it make the point that he is trying to get across.

Thanks I enjoyed this post....nice way to make a point

It's brilliantly true.

I just don't understand why people grade by taste. I think there is absolutely no merit to be given to a band who isn't somewhat original. Say if I am listening to that retarded band, Wolfmother, that brings nothing new to the table. Why would I listen to them and not the people they have pretty much ripped such as Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin. I mean, they don't even mix the two styles. There songs either sound like Sabbath or Zeppelin.

Yeah but my taste in music IS better than yours! (and I do genuinely like this track):

yeah she's pretty smokin' there.

Ketchup goes good on a lot of things, steak is not one of em. So yeah elitism is present in food
see; cheese.

I willingly put salad cream on just bread and eat it.

I ADMIT IT.

I can't believe people eat cheese, or drink milk or can eat mushrooms.

That being said I love ice cream and chocolate, so I'm a huge hypocrite. Although to me the milk would be like raw meat and the ice cream would be like a nice steak.

That was pretty interesting. and I totally agree with you. Music should be regarded as a very personal thing related entirely to how you feel or want to feel.

I can't believe anyone would dislike cheese or milk. You're crazy, man.

Milk is overrated dude, can't you see, it gets this HUGE sponsorship from some rich labels and all of a sudden everyone's raving about it.

And I won't even talk about cheese, it's just awful, there's no merit to it, they say it's varied but it all smells the same to me.

Just drink your ****ing milk, it was the original ****. I'm so tired of these ice-cream hipsters going "oh milk is overrated" **** you man, its where it all started. Respect your roots, you scenester homo.

I can't support the sponsership deals. I was into milk before that shit happened though.

I'll concede that cheese smells like crap, but if we're talkin' taste, it's unrivalled.

Nah dude, chocolate and ice cream is where it's at, it's new, it's fresh and it's truly innovative, none of that BORING old ****.

That boring old **** laid the foundations for your precious chocolate **** and you don't have to get milk from sponsors. I drink it right from the utter.

Well, if you want to stagnate in your old boring milk so be it, at least I'm KEEPING UP WITH THE TIMES. Sure there's a lot of new stuff that is awful but my chocolate is my life and that's the ****ing end of it. Have fun with your old boring milk and old smelly overrated cheese.

May as well already call yourself geriatric.

You guys are crazy, I eat them all! It's important to have a balanced diet of milk, cheese, chocolate and ice cream.

I will never understand how people can honestly eat something as disguisting as cheese, and then enjoy it.

Even though that food analogy was flawed, I enjoyed reading it, it did manage to get it's points across

^ Cheese is great, n00b

Aye Lizzie's got 33 more posts than you small fry...

If you like nickleback, you like bad music. There's no guesswork in that one. It's called science.


and cheese is good but anyone who drinks milk is just plain wrong.

haha, that I do:)
and milk is great, you crazy people

Milk is absolutely awful, you're all incredibly stupid and ignorant for liking it.

Great logic there...:banghead:

**** OFF, without milk all your **** would be ****.

Milk is the nectar of the gods

Lol I think people are purposefully ignoring Rezz's point because it applies to pretty much everyone on this forum, and no one wants to admit it.

Obviously this guy is a milk drinker, high five dude.

Nah this dude is chocolate all the way.

OOC: we're not ignoring the point, we're pretty much making fun of ourselves in a nice tongue in cheek way.

Most of you are wrong.
Milk is not good.
Milk is another thing that big business gained a monopoly on during the 90's.
'Got Milk?' anyone. 'Got gullability?' anyone.
Milk provides you some calcium, but leafy green vegetables provide you with much more calcium, and the healthier kind of calcium that your body needs.