Instructor:
Why do we like certain movies or novels or kinds of music and dislike others? In this course, we will delve into the fascinating topic of taste from
many different angles. The language of highbrow and lowbrow taste now seems snobbish and hopelessly old-fashioned; what has taken its
place? Has taste become more democratic or does it always involve judgement? Can we avoid thinking (even if only secretly) that other
people’s taste is good or bad? Do we want others to like what we like, or do we hate it if they do? We will explore the questions of taste as it is
affected by three factors: the qualities of what we are appreciating, whether a pizza or a Picasso, the specifics of individual and social identity,
and the desire for status. We will also ponder the category of things “that are so bad they are good” and the phenomenon of hate watching.
Examples will be taken from food, music, literature, movies, fashion, and social media and students will be asked to craft their own taste
biographies.