why do people feel the need to defend things that don't

You don't have to defend your taste, but people like to know why you like something. It's good to be able to articulate your opinions.

Because I care about the well-being of my fellow humans.

>>17656033
I agree, but I find myself doing it at times. I imagine it's a sense of wanting your opinion to be validated

Because if you share a common value with others, even if you don't know them, working in a group to achieve a common goal is the most efficient way to do it.

As far as art is concerned, fuck art.

Except for music. But most music blows, so fuck music too.

File: 1475239300288.jpg (15KB, 543x403px) Image search: [Google]

15KB, 543x403px

>>17656033
The same reason you made this thread.

T. Known Boss

File: 1475098807183.jpg (128KB, 1300x975px) Image search: [Google]

128KB, 1300x975px

>>17656033

Human nature is fucking stupid. You didn't know that?

>>17656033
Because although someone may not take part in creating something, (like a piece of art, a particular song, a book, a movie, etc.) when they like it, they become emotionally involved and invested because there is part of them identifies with it. That's why they like it in the first place. You like stuff that speaks to you, whether or not it speaks to anyone else in the same way - or at all. But this personalizing is what leads to butthurtedness. Because people feel attached to what they like, (i.e. it's special to them), they take criticism personally, as if you're criticizing them directly.

Most people just have to realize that when you like something, people's approval/disapproval is more or less worthless - if it's something that does not interfere with anyone else's rights. See, the reason we have the tendency at all to look to at others for approval, is to stay within social boundaries to not be excluded from society as a whole. But that's usually for amoral behavior that has very negative consequences, like killing and stealing and shit. No one should really judge you for your favorite band since it's most likely completely benign.

But then again, that's how social groups form. Denoting similar tastes will help you attract like-minded people, which you're more likely to get along with. People who share similar interests, usually have similar views on life. Usually - or at least that's the assumption under which we operate.

File: 1473045509002.jpg (109KB, 500x495px) Image search: [Google]

109KB, 500x495px

Let me answer it with my own experiences
I am not white, I am from El Slavador.
>inb4 weback
I was born and raised here in America and I am blessed to never had experienced true racism. All my fellow peers and friends never cared about my skin they just liked me because I was me.
Ever since this year started I have been growing distant with everyone because they are all fucking shitty people now.
Spanish friends think it's okay to classify any white person who doesn't like a new show with a black man a racist. All white people should never have dreads because it's appropriation. White people this white people that it's just making the whole argument of the white devil and how it's okay to bash a white person
Don't get me wrong I like making the occasional rape joke or a cheap shot joke but that all it is, a joke
Continuing

File: 1470853043871.jpg (598KB, 1680x1050px) Image search: [Google]

598KB, 1680x1050px

Cont.
I'm not white, but I god damn stick up for them because that's all they have ever done for me.
White lady down the street works for city council, she always gave everyone a good word about me and made them more comfortable with me. White boy from my old highschool always had my back, never talked shit about my skin unless we were joking. Blondie I used to crush on was always the nicest girl you ever met, socially awkward but she loved everyone
I get up in people's grills about this shit and they just look at me and go
"But you're not even white why are you siding with them?"
"You're just brainwashed"
Fuck em'
Fuck em' all
Of course there are shitty racist white people the site is infested with em
But there are just as many racist people of color too.
That's why I argue with topics that don't affect me
Because they affect my fellow man, and what kind of neighbor would I be to let some shit for brains bash another for their race

>>17656394
But it does affect you. The fact that you have judged these people as good is directly related to your personal ability to distinguish between good and bad. When someone goes against your assertion, they're basically saying you were wrong and your judgment is lacking - which discredits you in future related arguments.

>>17656033
Yes, probably is just human nature. I think it's something on two levels

>We think that our opinions define who we are.
I see a lot of people who believe that our taste, our beliefs, our opinions define us as a person, when it's clear that it isn't true. We take disagreements as a personal offence. If someone says that Taylor Swift is shit, and we REALLY like Taylor Swift, we metabolise it as if they were saying that our taste in music is shit, and we are shit. If someone says that they don't believe in God, and we do believe in God, we metabolise it as if they said that everyone who believes in God is stupid and we are stupid.

> We think that our opinions are facts
Opinions, beliefs and tastes aren't factual. Your opinion can be based on facts or not, but after all it is still an opinion and other people can still disagree with you without being wrong. We are somewhat incapable of accepting that people can disagree with us without them being wrong.

>>17656033

Because it's easier to judge shit outside ourselves, than actually look in a mirror.

Most things we get riled up have really no bearing on ourselves.

I think we look outside of ourselves because we don't want to face what is really in front of us to work on.

It's easier to get revved up about politics that actually deal with your weight.

It's more fun to talk shit about other people than deal with our own issues.

It's more convenient to band wagon external sources (religion, politics, social trends,etc) to define "who we are" than actually decide what we believe individually.

There is nothing human hate to do more than self reflect. We would much rather use corporate logos, idealogical affiliations, and celebrity/politician worship to "tell people who we are".

Social Media has exacerbated this this and now we have destroyed interpersonal interaction in the quest for likes, upvotes, and (you)'s.

>>17656033

in theory you'd be right, but once you take out talking about our differences and why we like them, we lose the ability to conversate. we lose the ability to open up to new things, to try new things, or even to give them a second chance. we lose the ability to remember WHY we love it, not just through positive agreement, but diving deeper into what that art means.

yes, some people are bitch babies and it becomes a real argument, but go fuck yourself.

>>17656033
Gee, I don't know. Why would someone care to defend their own opinions on things? Why would people have discussions about things they enjoy and the differences and qualities of them? Why would people argue when somebody says that something they consider high quality is actually trash?

Fucking retard.

>>17656033
It's called empathy/sympathy.

>>17657646
lmao i think you're the retard here buddy

because what you like is intrinsic in part to who you are

when you defend your taste you are defending your own self by proxy

I have a friend who I like and respect, but we watched No Country for Old Men, and he didn't like it. He said it had no point.
Then we watched Only God Forgives, which he loved and raved about afterwards.
My point is, he's a retard when it comes to movies but I don't argue with him beyond teasing him about his incredible lack of artistic sensibility, because he defends his opinions to the death like an idiot. I think it's just an innate desire for respect in one's point of view, regardless of any empirical data or overwhelming consensus. I guess I can respect a desire for respect. Feels like pandering though.

>>17656033
Why talk about anything at that point?

>>17656033
Some people are smart enough to not drink the "why should u care?!" kool-aid, because they realize things don't exist in a vacuum. This is how they derive value from explaining their own subjective experience and the basis of their "taste".

Likewise, projecting force can be fun. Some people enjoy fighting sometimes. Some people unfortunately fall into a rut where they find it easiest to be fighting all the time.

Humans are machines, and others are your fields to harvest. If you are not willing to push some buttons, the black box often will not generate the output you desire. Hence why people argue, which is what I think you're mostly alluding to. The role of communicating seemingly pointless things, like the sexiest hip and waist structure, should also be obvious. Think in times of information and affordance. Put yourself in a mindset for reverse engineering and putting any given element you come across to some sort of use. It's not about doing it, it's about knowing how, knowing when, and knowing why. A lot of people aren't even able, and they start asking stupid questions that have an implicit statement about their supposedly already knowing the "right" answer.

>>17656033
If you are unable to defend what you believe in, then you might as well not believe in it.