[Toilet & Bowels]

why are they so concerned by their perceptions of their own taste?

[demonrail666]

Because it's interesting, and fun. Why do people like some things and not others? How can someone who spends 50% of their time listening to Swans also have a soft spot for Sum 41, etc? And how can someone who loves the Velvets, for example, not like Television? The answers to these questions won't bring about a cure for cancer but they get people thinking about what they listen to, which is hardly a crime.

[PAULYBEE2656]

its a form of capitalism on a personal level.....

[atari 2600]

The simple reason for the aforementioned phenomenon (especially on message boards) is because one has a finite amount of time to appreciate culture (art, music, literature, film, etc.) while alive.

Since this a fact (whether consciously acknowledged or not), it only makes sense for people to get together and compare their notes of their own experiences with cultural artifacts from various art forms.

The goal is by no means that a uniform consensus be reached, but rather that the content of the various artistic canons be affirmed and that the continuous updating and enrichment of said canons be furthered.

In other words, we make recommendations to share some of our own experience, yes, but part of that sharing isn't only personal fancy; sometimes the sharing of recommendations is a sharing of (time-saving) knowledge, and in even rarer cases, it's a sharing of wisdom.

[atari 2600]

People who think that one is supposed to like and dislike certain things
Poll Options
are these people idiots?
yes
no
who cares?

At any rate, sharing recommendations is a path for opening up opportunities for possibility.

In this way, we can actually view the poll as a psychological test.

If one votes "yes," then they feel they are above everyone else. This position may or may not have some degree of validity, but it is safe to assume, that, in the vast majority of cases, cognitive conceit is complete folly. As Socrates affirmed, his greatest knowledge was realizing that he knew absolutely nothing-to-very little, but maybe that he knew slightly more than most.
Let's examine the way the poll is phrased: "Are these people idiots?" The wording presupposes that the author of the poll more than likely gave a vote of "yes." Perhaps they feel that idiocy comes into play due to a combination of vanity and futilty; because there is no such animal as real influence on a message board and those that offer recommendations are merely deluding themselves. Mixed in there too, for certain, is a feeling that most people are idiots. While this is true, it is only half-true. Most people do live their lives in an idiotic stupor of ego-consciousness, but when it comes to art (at least in its more popular forms), they are usually less idiotic because some elusive quality of the art resonates with a part of them they would like to enrich their connection with personally.
However, contrary to these explantions, one regarded as an "idiot" in our society today is usually deemed as such because they are too idealistic and care not enough for themself. Socrates himself, perhaps the wisest man that ever lived, is classified as an "idiot" in the modern definition of the word.

If one votes "no," then they obviously have quite a different, more open outlook. They are less affected by their emotions perhaps. They, after all, freely participate in decidely stupid polls haha. That's not to say that they are emotionless, but rather less judgemental, and perhaps, for that reason, more balanced psychologically. It seems odd that the less judgmental people would choose "no," though, since that means that they like people giving their opiniated judgements and evaluations of culture.
In short, the poll is a complete miasma of double-negatives, self-fulfilling prophecy, and bad wording. However, even so, this topic is a lot more straightforward than this poster's last thread about Magic: The Gathering whose questions and answering options were poisonously-worded to the extreme.

And finally, the "who cares?" option. The author of the poll offers this choice in case the "yes" option was not sociopathic enough to satisfy the voter. There's the possibility that the poll choice betrays a schism in the poll-makers own psyche. Of course, this option can also easily be (mis)interpreted by the voter to mean "who cares about this dumb poll?" and perhaps that's why it is now the most popular response.
What is clear is that the third "who cares?" option is a device to self-deprecatingly excuse the poll-maker from the mess they just made and to resign themselves to their self-willed, hopeless, Sisyphean fate.

[lungfish]

all i know is that people with a vast knowledge of art in general or (and more importantly as far as i'm concerned) a desire to learn and obtain that knowledge are extremely interesting human beings.
on the other hand, i try not discriminate as much as possible but i know who i like and i know who knows what i like.

as Jack Kerouac once said:
"the only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time,
the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace things, but burn like fabulous roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars
and in the middle you see the blue center light pop and everybody goes "Awww!"

[porkmarras]

I voted 'Who Cares?'.I never really listen to anyone but myself,anyway.

[Glice]

Originally Posted by porkmarras

I voted 'Who Cares?'.I never really listen to anyone but myself,anyway.

Is that because you're up your own arse? Racist.

[porkmarras]

Originally Posted by Glice

Is that because you're up your own arse? Racist.

Yes,i'm racist and up my own arse.Are you jelous?And,anyway,you're racist yourself so stop accusing me of being something i know i am already.Racist.

[Glice]

All I do is try and have a little bit of fun with you and you go off one another one of your self-obsessed, racist monologues. Racist.

[porkmarras]

I think i might report your racism to the authorities.Just watch your mouth......racist

[Glice]

Wow, you're actually that into yourself? I bet you write poems about how great you are and how much you like being racist. Racist.

[Iain]

I voted yes but I think I really hover between yes and who cares and maybe even 'it depends' if I want to totally sit on the fence.

[foxforce5]

Isn't the poll itself an affirmation that people ought to percieve and respond to things in certain ways? Don't call anyone an idiot who believes people should like certain things or else say you just don't care - if - you've ever given someone rep for a post.

[foxforce5]

Perhaps instead of open ended conversation starters like A bGuilty Pleasure: That album that whilst you know it's not 'great' you just love.
and A classic album that you know you SHOULD like but ... well ...don't. we should stick to tersely worded declarative statements about our preferences so as not to subscribe to the notion of 'classics' or 'generation or genre defining'.

Oh shit I can't tell if I'm being sarcastic or not.

[ZEROpumpkins]

Originally Posted by PAULYBEE2656

its a form of capitalism on a personal level.....

[porkmarras]

Originally Posted by foxforce5

Perhaps instead of open ended conversation starters like A bGuilty Pleasure: That album that whilst you know it's not 'great' you just love.
and A classic album that you know you SHOULD like but ... well ...don't. we should stick to tersely worded declarative statements about our preferences so as not to subscribe to the notion of 'classics' or 'generation or genre defining'.

Oh shit I can't tell if I'm being sarcastic or not.

The difference is between exposing someone to a certain artist or genre of music and actually thinking that if they don't like it they are/might be stupid.That doesn't make sense.It is a well known fact that there are many incredibly intelligent,articulate and sensitive people out there who are not into music or they are very little into it.