How do you expect to be taken seriously?

it is all about context. people who think BRC is hot shit hang out with others who feel the same.

no one thinks my love for boy meets world is real. :`(

I do, jess.

Being taken seriously is overrated.

I do too.

I do, but only to cruelly string you along. Er, maybe not.

Unsurprisingly, I just shrug and figure, "Hey, works for them." I may not like it and will say so loudly, but beyond that...

I don't think I phrased that too well. But what I mean is I know I know I shouldn't just write off someone who loves something like the Bluetones, but I can't help thinking someone who likes that would like anything. Or nothing of importance. And I know it's snobby, normally I don't get that way. I guess I'm just trying to work out how to get over being so closeminded over a couple of petty opinions.

Hm...I think the trick perhaps lies in seeing what else they like -- or maybe more handily, what they ARE like. See, take this Bluetones-loving person -- is this person otherwise thoughtful, kind, considerate, intelligent, whatever? If so, what matters more in the end, that or whether or not they think Mark Wossname from the Bluetones is hot?

Good God, are they still going?

God, Ned, do you realize you're basically repeating the end "moral" of "High Fidelity"?

I tried to think that for a while--that it's not what people like, it's what they are like, etc. But don't you think that what they like is oftentimes a serious reflection of their personality?

I'd love it if someone could talk me out of this...

I was just using Bluetones an example of utter crapness, I have no idea if they are still going.

And I'm not really talking about the person as a whole, I just mean about respecting their opinions about music, art, etc.

Having not seen said film or read the book, Nory, I wouldn't know. Let's put it this way -- my dad, for instance, likes a lot of modern country sop that I can't stand. My dad is also one of the coolest people on the whole goddamn planet. When I've got a living, breathing example to draw upon, how can I not think the way I do?

My hope in life in ways -- probably a miserable, failed attempt -- is to try and demonstrate that whatever I like is not necessarily who I am, because who I am is a good enough person above and beyond what I 'like,' whatever that is. Maybe I'm not good enough at all, fuck knows -- personally I think I'm a selfish fuck-up stumblebum (and also paranoid about looking like I'm aiming for sympathy!) a good amount of the time, someone who runs roughshod over emotions or situations. But whatever the situation, that isn't going to be reflected necessarily on the basis of whether or not I have every T. Rex release or not.

As for general respecting of art opinions etc. -- taste really is ultimately individual down the line, as everyone's no doubt sick of me saying. At least I can't say it any other way. So someone likes said BRC show -- okay then. Enough people have expressed horror over me liking the Pumpkins a hell of a lot, after all! Anything is possible. :-)

I am not normally like this, this is why I'm trying to work out why I'm so close-minded in this particular situation.

Hmmm...yes, Ned, I totally see your point, and can think of people like that in my own life (my dad, too).

I guess what it comes down to, for me, is that people who like the things I like (or things similar enough, anyway) and have the same types of interests are EASIER to meet and to get to know--you have so many conversation topics built in. Plus, the fact that they like the same music, books, art, cartoons, movies (even just one or two of these categories will suffice), etc. often tells me that we will probably share at least a few attitudes, opinions, or experiences. OR, if nothing else, that we'll share at least a somewhat similar way of thinking about things, because we'll have similar cultural bases. So, it doesn't tell me all about their personality, but it does tell me that there's MORE OF A CHANCE that their personality is compatable with mine.

I'm really sick of the word "similar" by now, but three glasses of wine have blocked the synonym-finder part of my brain. Sorry.

I don't know exactly where I'm going with this--I've thought about it many times before, but can't quite get to the point...I think I'm just trying to stop myself from feeling guilty over not spending enough time getting to know potential friends who aren't into music, or books, or anything, for that matter...

but Mark Morris is, in fact, hot, videlicet:

http://www.morgey22.freeserve.co.uk/bluetones/blumark.jpg

yeah, the things I like probably impact in someway on what I am like. I don't expect to be taken seriously.

'that show with Billy Ray Cyrus' - Mullholland Drive?

would it take a lot of critical effort to get past the fact i "enjoy" the anna nicole smith show ?

No -- even though I don't like it I can see where people might like it. But there are just some things I just can't even begin to understand where people would like it.

Hm...is it that you want to understand or that you don't want to understand but are still puzzled? My glib answers would settle the second question, but the first would almost be a case by case thing...

The first question.

Okay then, case by case. Someone likes the Bluetones, you can't stand that group and want to figure out why the person likes them, because you figure that they might like anything, as you say, because they like something so tripish in your eyes. So do they in fact like just anything, or do they have more specific tastes than that? Have they ever said why they liked the Bluetones? Are the reasons given similar to reasons you've ever had for liking something?

It's just something I probably shouldn't even worry about, so I'm not going to analyze it any further.

Ah well, no worries! But it is an interesting question in general if you're pondering the aesthetics of taste. :-)

I don't know if this is relevant but glancing at someone's taste in music is no guide to the person.

to ans the question: you just have to get past things like that, there is much more to a person than the liking of x thing you can't stand. do ask them (but put it nicely): i can't understand yr liking, explain? that may help you get past it...

haha this time we got julio to fall into the "i am nick hornby" boobytrap

1. Um, wouldn't the logical thing to do be to ask them why they like the Bluetones? Or am I missing something?

2. Taste in music is a better guide to the person than, say, physical appearance.

I like the bluetones.
fuck you cunts.

''haha this time we got julio to fall into the "i am nick hornby" boobytrap''

NOOOO!!!

Haha don't ask me mate.

"If..." by the Bluetones is/was one of my favourite records ever, but other than that they are completely disposable in a non-pop way.