News:

Welcome to our site!

Main Menu

Accounting for taste

Started by Hydra009, January 07, 2019, 02:51:37 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Cavebear

Quote from: Hydra009 on January 07, 2019, 02:51:37 PM
There's a common saying, "there's no accounting for taste", which states that people have subjective personal likes/dislikes that can't be objectively explained.  But is that really true?  If I were to delve deep into a person's psychology (and their surrounding culture), could I figure out why they like what they like and dislike what they dislike?

Let's start at the true gold standard of subjectivity, favorite colors.  Blue is far and away the world's favorite color (including yours truly)



Why?

Potentially, a great many reasons, none of which are subjective.  As both the sky and the ocean, blue is an incredibly commonplace color.  It's also one that our ancestors actively searched for in order to find new sources of fresh water in lakes and rivers.  Water, and thus the color blue, is quite literally life, so its prominence makes a lot of sense.  There are probably a whole host of other reasons that haven't occurred to me.  But the point is, this preference is not (or at least not entirely) subjective - there are evolutionary, psychological reasons why people like blue.

But that's an easy example.  How about another one.  Let's talk car colors.



Unlike the sky, you could get your car painted whatever color you want, it's totally up to you and your subjective tastes.  So it should be completely random.  Lime green and orange should be just as common as black and white.  But they aren't.

White and black are far and away the favorites, with the majority of cars being some shade of white-black.  Again, why?  Out of all the colors, these are arguably the least colorful.  Imho, it's cultural: black is associated with luxury cars, so choosing black - even for a rustbucket - is attempting to give the appearance of wealth.  Plus, blemishes are less noticeable on black.  These choices are more difficult to explain, but it certainly seems like there are some psychological/cultural regions for why people prefer the car colors they prefer.

Now let's get into everyone's favorite thing to disagree about: the arts and entertainment.

Explaining people's preferences here should basically be impossible!  I mean, there are probably people out there whose favorite movie is Phantom Menace or Catwoman or Jack & Jill or The Emoji Movie.  *shudders*  What possible explanation could there possibly be???

Well, imo these particular examples are pretty hard to figure out.  But put in more general terms, perhaps people's preferences are explainable.  There are 7 basic plots that all stories seem to at least partially draw from.  And in particular, the hero's journey seems to be a crowd-pleaser.  People's tastes may be more varied, grasping onto various well-established genres like sci-fi or horror or comedy, but they do tend to cluster (hence the existence of genres).  Imo, there is a reason why Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark was such a success and Crystal Skull wasn't.  It might take me almost forever to methodically go over both films and figure out exactly what went right with the former and what went wrong with the latter, but it's there.

So, what do you think?  Can there be an accounting for taste?  Or is it inexplicable?

My favorite colors are dark red, dark green, and black as accent.

My car is black, but that was the only color I could get the options I wanted in 2006.  In 2006, the Highlander only came prebuilt from Japan, in limited combinations. 

I think I might be ready for a new car...
Atheist born, atheist bred.  And when I die, atheist dead!

SGOS

Quote from: Cavebear on January 08, 2019, 11:51:01 PM
My car is black, but that was the only color I could get the options I wanted in 2006.  In 2006, the Highlander only came prebuilt from Japan, in limited combinations. 
I had to look a long time for my last car to find the color I wanted.  My usual dealer had all kinds of Miatas in the "nothing" colors.  He could get the right color from other dealers, but wanted me to pay for the transportation, which I declined.  And there are only 5 or 6 colors that Mazdas come in.  I suppose for some, color is not that important.  But I think at the price of a new car, the buyer is entitled to make an issue out of anything he wants, including the color of the exterior and the upholstery.

Cavebear

Quote from: SGOS on January 09, 2019, 04:25:27 AM
I had to look a long time for my last car to find the color I wanted.  My usual dealer had all kinds of Miatas in the "nothing" colors.  He could get the right color from other dealers, but wanted me to pay for the transportation, which I declined.  And there are only 5 or 6 colors that Mazdas come in.  I suppose for some, color is not that important.  But I think at the price of a new car, the buyer is entitled to make an issue out of anything he wants, including the color of the exterior and the upholstery.

If you choose a good car, than what you see most afterwards is the color.  Day in and day out!  You live with it.  I've lived with the Toyota Black for 13 years now, and I hate it.  I don't mind the dents, I don't mind the interior gray.  I hate the color.

I went to a renovator.  They wouldn't repaint it without fixing the dents.  $5,000.  But the dealer says the timing belt and other belts ($2,000) should be replaced from simple "old age" (and I agree) and the tires are original and age matters there too ($400). 

So keeping the car @29,000 miles (I don't drive much) could cost $7,500 for a 14 years old car. 

On the other hand, $7,500 would make it good for another 6 years or so.  And I really like the car.  I don't WANT fancy new internet stuff in a car.  I like my actually buttons and knobs.

A vote?
Atheist born, atheist bred.  And when I die, atheist dead!

Baruch

Quote from: Cavebear on January 12, 2019, 03:54:25 AM
If you choose a good car, than what you see most afterwards is the color.  Day in and day out!  You live with it.  I've lived with the Toyota Black for 13 years now, and I hate it.  I don't mind the dents, I don't mind the interior gray.  I hate the color.

I went to a renovator.  They wouldn't repaint it without fixing the dents.  $5,000.  But the dealer says the timing belt and other belts ($2,000) should be replaced from simple "old age" (and I agree) and the tires are original and age matters there too ($400). 

So keeping the car @29,000 miles (I don't drive much) could cost $7,500 for a 14 years old car. 

On the other hand, $7,500 would make it good for another 6 years or so.  And I really like the car.  I don't WANT fancy new internet stuff in a car.  I like my actually buttons and knobs.

A vote?

I agree.  My present car I got as a compromise with my elderly mother, who then promptly passed away.  But I didn't want the 5G dashboard of the new vehicles.  I don't want the confusion and distraction (not good for an elderly driver in the best of circumstances).  I am not sure that (other than an actual heads-up display) having all that instrumentation is a good idea.  On a trip last summer, I had my daughter and her smart phone ride shotgun, even though it was a brand new rental car.  Didn't want to have to go to fighter pilot school just to drive to Minnesota.
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

Cavebear

Quote from: Baruch on January 12, 2019, 12:12:17 PM
I agree.  My present car I got as a compromise with my elderly mother, who then promptly passed away.  But I didn't want the 5G dashboard of the new vehicles.  I don't want the confusion and distraction (not good for an elderly driver in the best of circumstances).  I am not sure that (other than an actual heads-up display) having all that instrumentation is a good idea.  On a trip last summer, I had my daughter and her smart phone ride shotgun, even though it was a brand new rental car.  Didn't want to have to go to fighter pilot school just to drive to Minnesota.

OK, so far new car 0-1
Atheist born, atheist bred.  And when I die, atheist dead!

Baruch

You could find a newer rental vehicle, that the rental agency didn't splurge on all the gewgaws.
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.