On likes and dislikes.
Has anyone ever given serious thought as to why we like the things we like? Why we dislike the things we do? How do we develop prefences? Is it dependent upon our environment? Nature vs. nurture? I'm sure there is a study somewhere that I haven't taken the time to read that answers my question; this is just one of those things I end up thinking about for no reason.
There are several things that I love that elicit groans from my nearest and dearest. For example: New Kids on the Block. Say what you want (and I know you will), but I legitimately enjoy them for several reasons, all of which, in reality, probably have little to do with their place in popular culture.
For what they are, a boyband, they're pretty stellar dudes. They created the mold that every other boyband inevitably had to fit into. Each embodied his own persona: Jordan, the heartthrob; Joe, the young cutie; Donnie, the bad boy (be still my heart); Danny, suave and fashionable (hands off, ladies, Senay's got this!) and Jon, quiet and introspective. Take any boyband from the '90s for comparison and you'll see an, if not exact, at least a strikingly strong correlation between the groups.
Pop music is what it is by its very nature. It's catchy and marketable. It sticks in our heads and makes us tap our feet. Do you know how many New Kids on the Block songs I know by heart? And have since the age of six? More than I'd probably be willing to admit, even here. So, yes, I like the music because I'm meant to. Ideally, everyone is.
But the real reason I probably like them as much as I do is because they were an interest shared by Senay and I. (Not like we didn't bond over countless other things, but she's the only other person I talk about the New Kids with on a regular basis.) I don't even remember how it originally came up, but we started talking about NKOTB ("You watched the cartoon series? ME TOO!") and the next thing you know, it's one a.m. on a Saturday and we're critiquing the 1992 Disney concert that my mom recorded for me, laughing hysterically about socks and rat tails.
They were, and continue to be, a mutual interest. When they got back together last year (yay!) and released a new album, we got it. When they premiered a new episode of Behind the Music to commemorate, we watched it together in my living room. We went to Wal-Mart and bought the newly released Greatest Hits album simply for the free poster, because we already own the first Greatest Hits. I won't even discuss the number of YouTube videos we watched, or the fact that we seriously considered traveling to Cleveland to see them live. It's just something that we do, that we share, that makes us laugh and reminds us how silly we really are and can be with each other. (FYI: Her ringtone is "Big Girl Now" so now whenever she calls, I get to dance to, "You know I like the way you move it, move it..." until I answer.)
There are a lot of other things I really, really enjoy, and mostly without explanation other than it appeals to my aesthetic.
Another example: I love to copy edit. Like, way more than 98% of all humanity (excluding copy editors and other people interested in English/journalism). A lot of people become frustrated with the editing process, but that's always been my favorite part. I guess it's because I'm not the best at coming up with ideas, but I'm very good at tackling ideas from all sorts of angles. I consider alternative avenues and think of questions or objections that could arise. This has always come very naturally to me, which I'm sure is part of the reason I enjoy it. Regardless, it's something a lot of other people dread.
I love anything involving words. I love English jokes or anything involving wordplay. I'm all about alliteration. I love word games (excluding word searches, boo that). I love that I'm the person people go to when they're trying to think of a particular word but can't. Or they need synonyms or need to know how to spell something. I feel like I'm meant to work with words, in some way or another.
But where did this come from? It's not like my parents were ever especially like, "Let's practice editing!" I mean, sure, they knew that I was a capable enough writer and that I always received good grades in English, but there wasn't really any dominant force when it came to my skillz until I went to college and took editing classes.
This post has spiraled very much out of control, but whatevs. These are the kinds of things I end up thinking about but never spend any time discussing with people (mostly because I'm sure they'd think I was crazy).
Back to my main question: Why do I like the things that I like? New Kids on the Block or editing or listening to the same song on repeat for hours at a time (no, seriously) or having a method to everything I do? What made me this way? Why can't I stand word searches or 95% of what passes as popular music on the radio (but yet I will unashamedly admit to liking Britney Spears' new album)? Why does poor grammar literally make me cringe most of the time? Why do I hate the idea of Twilight and everything it's spawned? WHERE DO MY PREFERENCES COME FROM?
Is it because of our associations (the aforementioned New Kids on the Block example) or because of our abilities (copy editing, what, what) or because of something entirely different? What makes some men lose it over redheads while other gentlemen prefer blondes? Why do I like average-sized boys with green eyes and dark hair when my friends prefer blond beefy dudes with six-packs and goatees?
I'm sure there's a book about this and now I'm determined to find it and read it and get back to you.
(P.S. I consulted the AP Stylebook several times in the writing of this entry.)
There are several things that I love that elicit groans from my nearest and dearest. For example: New Kids on the Block. Say what you want (and I know you will), but I legitimately enjoy them for several reasons, all of which, in reality, probably have little to do with their place in popular culture.
For what they are, a boyband, they're pretty stellar dudes. They created the mold that every other boyband inevitably had to fit into. Each embodied his own persona: Jordan, the heartthrob; Joe, the young cutie; Donnie, the bad boy (be still my heart); Danny, suave and fashionable (hands off, ladies, Senay's got this!) and Jon, quiet and introspective. Take any boyband from the '90s for comparison and you'll see an, if not exact, at least a strikingly strong correlation between the groups.
Pop music is what it is by its very nature. It's catchy and marketable. It sticks in our heads and makes us tap our feet. Do you know how many New Kids on the Block songs I know by heart? And have since the age of six? More than I'd probably be willing to admit, even here. So, yes, I like the music because I'm meant to. Ideally, everyone is.
But the real reason I probably like them as much as I do is because they were an interest shared by Senay and I. (Not like we didn't bond over countless other things, but she's the only other person I talk about the New Kids with on a regular basis.) I don't even remember how it originally came up, but we started talking about NKOTB ("You watched the cartoon series? ME TOO!") and the next thing you know, it's one a.m. on a Saturday and we're critiquing the 1992 Disney concert that my mom recorded for me, laughing hysterically about socks and rat tails.
They were, and continue to be, a mutual interest. When they got back together last year (yay!) and released a new album, we got it. When they premiered a new episode of Behind the Music to commemorate, we watched it together in my living room. We went to Wal-Mart and bought the newly released Greatest Hits album simply for the free poster, because we already own the first Greatest Hits. I won't even discuss the number of YouTube videos we watched, or the fact that we seriously considered traveling to Cleveland to see them live. It's just something that we do, that we share, that makes us laugh and reminds us how silly we really are and can be with each other. (FYI: Her ringtone is "Big Girl Now" so now whenever she calls, I get to dance to, "You know I like the way you move it, move it..." until I answer.)
There are a lot of other things I really, really enjoy, and mostly without explanation other than it appeals to my aesthetic.
Another example: I love to copy edit. Like, way more than 98% of all humanity (excluding copy editors and other people interested in English/journalism). A lot of people become frustrated with the editing process, but that's always been my favorite part. I guess it's because I'm not the best at coming up with ideas, but I'm very good at tackling ideas from all sorts of angles. I consider alternative avenues and think of questions or objections that could arise. This has always come very naturally to me, which I'm sure is part of the reason I enjoy it. Regardless, it's something a lot of other people dread.
I love anything involving words. I love English jokes or anything involving wordplay. I'm all about alliteration. I love word games (excluding word searches, boo that). I love that I'm the person people go to when they're trying to think of a particular word but can't. Or they need synonyms or need to know how to spell something. I feel like I'm meant to work with words, in some way or another.
But where did this come from? It's not like my parents were ever especially like, "Let's practice editing!" I mean, sure, they knew that I was a capable enough writer and that I always received good grades in English, but there wasn't really any dominant force when it came to my skillz until I went to college and took editing classes.
This post has spiraled very much out of control, but whatevs. These are the kinds of things I end up thinking about but never spend any time discussing with people (mostly because I'm sure they'd think I was crazy).
Back to my main question: Why do I like the things that I like? New Kids on the Block or editing or listening to the same song on repeat for hours at a time (no, seriously) or having a method to everything I do? What made me this way? Why can't I stand word searches or 95% of what passes as popular music on the radio (but yet I will unashamedly admit to liking Britney Spears' new album)? Why does poor grammar literally make me cringe most of the time? Why do I hate the idea of Twilight and everything it's spawned? WHERE DO MY PREFERENCES COME FROM?
Is it because of our associations (the aforementioned New Kids on the Block example) or because of our abilities (copy editing, what, what) or because of something entirely different? What makes some men lose it over redheads while other gentlemen prefer blondes? Why do I like average-sized boys with green eyes and dark hair when my friends prefer blond beefy dudes with six-packs and goatees?
I'm sure there's a book about this and now I'm determined to find it and read it and get back to you.
(P.S. I consulted the AP Stylebook several times in the writing of this entry.)