Don't say I'm a snob just because I tell you exactly why I don't like something.
During the pandemic as I wallowed in the endless months of self-reflection, I began to think much more about a question I find really valuable: why do I like the things I like? We as humans form identity around the things that we like, whether that's products or bands or places or hobbies or whatever. And because of this, I thought that understanding more about what I gravitate toward as a person would reveal more to myself about who I am as a person. It was sort of a backwards way of seeing if the values I think I hold strongly and care about are actually reflected in the things I enjoy.
I've done some of that work through this blog, trying to breakdown topics I find interesting and ideas that excite me. I also started writing short weekly album reviews of albums I love to try and get better at putting that nebulous feeling of enjoyment into words. And I honestly do feel like I have a much greater understanding of what piques my interest now. If you ask why I like or dislike something, I'll probably be able to give you a pretty robust answer, and I like having that ability.
But what I do find fascinating is that I feel like instances of people calling me a "snob" about something has jumped a significant amount since I started doing this. I'm not immune to pretension when stating my opinion sometimes, so I can believe I occasionally earn this title. But a lot of times I've felt like this term was hurled around not because of how I explained something but because I explained anything at all. The fact that I stated why I didn't like something in very specific terms came off as abrasive and, dare I say, snobbish.
But I never want to say I don't like something "just...because." I want to be able to say why. I want to be able to explain to you where the gap is for me.
Maybe some people just want the headline, but personally I like to hear why people think the way they do about something in as much detail as they're able to articulate. I don't like this notion that stating your opinion makes you thoughtful but stating specifically why you have that opinion makes you a snob. Bring on the deep thoughts.
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