Do you judge people’s choice of books, music preference or tv show?

[ThisSillyFox]

Lighthearted thread. Music, books and film/tv shows are all personal preferences. Would you judge someone if you thought the music they listened was in your view shit? When I say judge someone, I don’t mean as a person but they might just have shit taste. For example I can’t stand Taylor Swift and none of my friends bar one like her too. Shows like the Kardashian’s, I feel are just trash. Books from Colleen Hoover, worst few hours of my life reading that rubbish. It could even extend to food and drink. Example Matcha lattes… anyone that drinks these are a basic bitch in my opinion. Caviar- wannabe rich people food, it’s literally fish eggs, harvested in a very inhumane way.

Anyone else feel similar and like to share?

I think the issue is that some people genuinely don’t believe anyone could really prefer Olga Tokarczuk to Marian Keyes, so they assume it’s a pretence. When it’s a preference, just as someone else might prefer Grey’s Anatomy to Bridgerton.

And there’s such a strong anti-intellectual streak in British culture that many of these threads strongly imply that if you prefer Thomas Mann to Richard Osman, or Michael Haneke films to the Marvel universe, then you should absolutely never mention it.

Not really, we are all individuals.

"Shows like the Kardashian’s, I feel are just trash."

I judge people who use apostrophes incorrectly 😀

I tend to judge people who judge what other people are watching / reading / listening to. It’s all just personal preference; there’s nothing inherently “better” about one form of entertainment than another.

Having said that, I tend to get on best with people who have eclectic tastes in things than those who are obsessed with a single type of TV show / music / books

Wow, I’d probably be on your hit list!

I work as a creative, spend my week focusing on a monitor and using my brain. I’m not a massive fan of tv but when I switch it on I like trash, something that I can watch for a bit, zone out, and then come back to with minimal effort. Think Bargain Hunt or Bake Off where if you watch the last 5 minutes you’ve understood the entire episode! You don’t need to be watching documentaries to be a likeable human being

Hell yeah!

I don't, no. I kind of judge people who won't try anything different, but if they give Twin Peaks a go and they don't like it, or they watch a Wong film and hate it, then fair enough. You like what you like at the end of the day, and to a large extent, I don't think you can change that - you can only expose yourself to things and see how they make you feel.

Edit: Some people do judge me and accuse me of being a snob though because I like world cinema and classical literature which is ridiculous because for every art house film in my collection, there's a Dirty Dancing or Tromeo and Juliet (about as low-brow as it gets) and for every In Search of Lost Time on the my shelf, there's a Twilight.

I'm probably judged about my clothes, music and film taste and the books I read. But that says more about the person than me. I like talking about my likes with people. And have encouraged a woman I work with to read. She hadn't read a book since school.

I dont have a favourite genre book really, except I hate and rom com / romance.

My exH would judge my music and tv taste. I found it really controlling eg if I played music in car when I was driving he would switch it off or change it like he was the music police, when it was my turn to pick the movie if he didn’t like it he’d walk out the cinema and I’d feel pressured to follow. I have intellectually demanding job and definitely chose lightweight / uplifting stuff to destress. Conversely on holiday I will read more demanding books as I have the headspace. Variety is the spice of life it would be boring if we were all the same. Political views would put me off though.

I would prob judge someone for describing a person as a ‘basic bitch’ because they enjoy a drink you don’t happen to like.

Follow your arrow wherever it points as Kacey Musgraves would say.

I judge on books if I’m honest, never music, I love Taylor Swift but I also love many different artists from different backgrounds. I also think there’s a time and place for trash tv/guilty pleasures but books, when someone says the love reading and then says they love Dan Brown or something I do despair. So many great books out there not being read.

I do think your first post veers towards the nasty though. You aren’t superior to someone who likes a matcha latte, and I say that as someone who’s never had one

Yes, I started my morning with a birthday cake matcha latte, but I don't see how that makes me basic. I have a wide range of interests, both high and low brow. My choice of drink is pretty inconsequential, I would have thought.

I know there are some people who seem to make matcha a big part of their personality, which I find weird, but I assume they still have full lives beyond that!

No. That's not to say I don't judge people for other reasons - but choice of entertainment doesn't hit the radar.

I judge the self absorbed.

I don’t like it when people eat animal products, but it’s not really judgement unless they’re dicks about it, I just wish it wasn’t a thing.

I don’t judge anyone for what tv they watch or books they read. I probably wouldn’t have much in common with someone that watched lots reality tv and was really into it, but I know people who watch some and it’s just a bit of light entertainment. I sometimes watch the Kardashians as their world is so different that I find it fascinating and a bit funny sometimes.

I definitely wouldn’t judge music tastes. I don’t think what music someone is into shows much about their personality usually.

I judge people for other reasons though, I think everyone does.

No.
I like it when people enjoy things. Life is hard enough without being negative about other people's enjoyment.
I have quite niche taste. I don't expect people to like the same things as me.
I honestly admire anyone whose passionate about anything at this stage of life.
I used to be a bit culturally snobby as a teen but life has well and truly beaten that out of me. Because what's the point? Life is so hard and sad. If someone gets 5 mins enjoyment out of a pop song I think is trash then good for them. I'm jealous honestly. The more joy people have for easily available things the better time they are going to have of it.

Books....maybe a little bit. I would probably judge someone that really liked 50 Shades of Grey. Not for the content but because it is so badly written it was painful to read.

TV I have no defence because I like a bit of everything. I'm equally happy watching the recent documentary regarding the life of Jane Austen as I am watching The Real Housewives of Orange County. 🤣

Music wise I have a bit of an issue with people still listening to Michael Jackson and R Kelly. But in terms of general musical taste then no judgement whether it's Schubert or Sabrina Carpenter.

No. You sound pretty ‘basic’ yourself OP, judging about the matcha latte.

I’m secure enough to watch and listen to whatever I like, so I’d be a hypocrite judging anyone else. I watch MAFS, read trashy thrillers but also read literature, go to art galleries and the theatre. It’s not an either / or choice.

Yes. I assume that anyone who likes Love Island is intellectually stunted/not very bright. Same for any reality TV. I recognise that’s unfair of me, but I just can’t fathom why anybody with a brain cell would want to watch such dreadful people cavorting about with hardly any clothes on and talking absolute rubbish.

i suspect I would be wary of a Kardashian lover - I think it’s the whole celebrity thing I can’t wrap my head around

I know many adverts for tv I find offputting brash and childish but sometimes the shows are ok

but mostly people just have different taste and different experiences

Unfair and incorrect. I used to like Love Island (gone off it now) and I am very very clever 😀😀😀

As PPs have said, I judge people who judge people for watching reality TV!

Strangely, you sound ‘not very bright’ yourself with that comment.

I must admit I do find it very odd when I visit someone else's house and discover that they have no books. None whatsoever.

Musical preferences - I like a wide variety, so each to their own on that one. If they are an obsessive fan of Eric Clapton though... meh. He is well over-rated.

As for tv programmes, I can't say I would have anything in common with the sort of person who watches Big Brother or Love Island etc. Or Question Time either, come to that. Can't abide political chit-chat.