OK, so I do a lot of bitching about these so called "snobs" and "hipsters" and their relentless search for "cred" in their listening tastes, if you can call it that. However, I'm not being clear enough in my intent here. I've told you what they're doing wrong - i.e., pretending to like things that are awful (or worse, genuinely liking some of these awful things) - but not telling you what to do to avoid this trap. And if you do this, you'll rarely find yourself falling into that trap again.
Don't deny what you
do like, no matter the company.
If you LOVE the damn Bee Gees(probably the most laughed-at thing on my iPod right now), I'm not saying you need to silk-screen a shirt about it, I'm just saying that if someone is having a conversation about, say, the Dirtbombs, and mentions their cover of "I Started A Joke", and comments on how the Bee Gees suck, disagree. It's not that hard. Don't just nod and go "yeah, uh-huh," and then make sure to delete the Bee Gees from your computer as soon as possible. I'm not saying everyone has to like everything, but anyone should have all the facts first. I may hate Phish and the Dave Matthews Band, but I rarely use the phrase "they suck", because it's not them causing the dislike, it's me. They're merely just existing. I've listened to them and chosen to dislike it. I can't make a judgement call on anything until I hear it. But once
you have all the facts, and then vote either way (oh snap, Pitchfork Fans! Did he just make that reference?!?), don't let anyone tell you that you suck for feeling positive about something.
Stand up for it! You don't have to be known as the "Bee Gees Guy" (or girl), but you have all sorts of ways not to let your own taste get trampled by others. you won't start a fight. Promise! Here, I have a few different responses, and their most likely result:
1) "Hey, I love the Bee Gees!"
The other party will look at you incredulously, but if you tell them WHY (important: not why they're wrong, but why you're right), whether or not they show it, they'll probably go home that night, download some, and either agree or disagree. Either way, your principles are not betrayed.
2) "You don't love the Bee Gees?!?"
A bit riskier. Putting them at the defensive could be dangerous, unless you know that your viewpoint is 100% valid (i.e., some major point to illustrate their worth). However, while belittling the other person's viewpoint is the epitome of uncool, you follow their response with "Well, have you heard
Odessa? Oh, then you don't have all the facts!" Maybe prompting change, maybe not, but at least you didn't let their predjudice steamroller you.
3) "Have you really
heard the Bee Gees?"
Again, risky, calling their qualifications into question. If they say yes, find out what they know, then see if you can add to that. If they say no, they've automatically been put in their place.
4) "Why don't you like the Bee Gees?"
Put the ball in their court. Much like a "no" answer to the last question, the limit of their knowledge may now be exposed, negating the whole argument.
Boom. There you go. Stupid, ignorant people should not be allowed to get away with things just cause people are too timid to stand up for what they believe in. If they did that I'd be British, and that would SUCK. I'm sick of people selling out their principles and beliefs just because someone they're afraid of alienating says something stupid. Silence is complicity.
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