Do I like it or do I just see it everywhere?

The series that helps you develop taste based on what you actually like, expanding beyond just what you see everywhere. 

The Case for Taste

Having taste – and more importantly: having the confidence to talk about your taste – is something not everyone has the privilege of enjoying. This isn’t because having taste itself is a privilege, but because far too few people have allowed themselves the time or self exploration of understanding their preferences and honing in said taste.

In fact, I’m willing to bet that folks may not even realize that it takes courage to delve into this aspect of themselves. It requires a curiosity about yourself not many give themselves the pleasure of exploring and dare I say even say it: enjoying.

Case in point: I recently went to the Guggenheim Museum with a friend. As we were walking through the Carol Bove sculpture exhibit, we openly discussed our likes and dislikes about each piece. It was a clear unspoken demonstration that we had thought about things. 

I didn’t think much of our exchanges. I simply enjoyed the conversations as we were growing to understand our different perspectives and learn from each others’ various design references. She shared that she had friends who weren’t so sure of themselves or their taste in things. Stereotypically, I asked, “Do they work in [numbers-based jobs, like] finance?”. To be fair, she said “yes” to that, but she also shared that some were just so consumed in fitting in that they had admitted they don’t know what to do at art museums:

“Am I supposed to like it? What do you want me to say? How long should I be there for?”

Up until this conversation, it had never dawned on me that these thoughts crossed peoples’ minds. I’ve always found great solace in art museums. From getting lost in the creator’s process, to understanding the context of their lifetime and the influences of their work. Little have I realized that over decades, I’ve worked to develop these opinions, my stances of taste and preference rooted in design rationale and references, but not everyone does.

This lighthearted convo that unfolded as we ascended the cylindrical museum immediately made me appreciate the seemingly non-linear career I’m still navigating.

• The fashion showrooms of my 20s flashed through my mind with memories of collection reviews before going to market;
• The corporate creative campaign reviews before a product launch;
• Even the stylistic arguments I’ve had with corporate lawyers over UI/UX design for the best end user experience…
• All are key lessons that lead me to developing more of a point of view and taste rooted in data than I even realized across my 15 years in corporate settings would.

Beyond Simply a Preference

Taste in how I’m referring to it is more than simply opinions and preferences. I’m talking about all things in number two:

The point of this series – Do I like it or do I just see it everywhere? – is to help you build a muscle of discernment when it comes to your aesthetic choices. Why do you like the things that you say you do? Do you actually like it, or are you seemingly influenced by more outside forces for your likes than you realize? It’s incredibly common and totally ok if you are; this series is here to help you learn more about yourself and why you like the things that you do.

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Do I like it or do I just see it everywhere? is a series that helps you develop taste based on what you actually like and are interested in, expanding beyond just what you see everywhere. If you’re working to hone in your taste, I’d love to hear what it’s been like for you. Drop a comment below, or find me over on Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn ✨