# Are you a very favorite-y person? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 4, 2009, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-very-favorite-y-person/516280 "2009-11-04T14:37:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-very-favorite-y-person/516280/1 "2009-11-04T14:37:49Z")
Some people are. They have all kinds of favorites. If you ask them their favorite rock artist from the years 1970-72, their favorite Motown artist, their favorite French general other than Napoleon…they’ve got an answer. Other people have some favorites–color, food, book, movie–the basics. And still others aren’t into that at all. I’ve got one friend, whenever I ask him that, who will respond, “I don’t know. I’m not good with favorites.” I myself am pretty favorite-y. There are some favorites I don’t have. I don’t think I have a favorite food (though cookies are high on the list), but I have a favorite song, book, singer, and color. Some things I don’t have favorites of, but a lot of things I do. What about you? ---
**Author:** ![Sofis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Sofis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofis)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-very-favorite-y-person/516280/2 "2009-11-04T15:01:15Z")
I don’t have favorites that you’d notice. When pressed for my “favorite \”, generally what you’ll get is “a \ I like quite a bit”. Frankly, the concept barely makes sense to me. Most things worth caring about can’t be linearly ordered by value in any sensible fashion. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-very-favorite-y-person/516280/3 "2009-11-04T15:12:35Z")
Not at all. I used to be, back in grade school/high school – I could easily run off a list of personal favorites songs/bands/movies/whatever, perfectly ranked in numerical order. Any more, I can tell you my favorite sports team is the NY Giants, but beyond that, things are going to change on an hourly basis. (I can tell you that right now, my favorite song is the Dropkick Murphys’ version of _The Auld Triangle_, but that’s just because it’s what is playing at the moment). ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-very-favorite-y-person/516280/4 "2009-11-04T15:17:07Z")
Yes. I’m very strongly opinionated about them, too. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-very-favorite-y-person/516280/5 "2009-11-04T15:31:00Z")
Not really. I was actually thinking about this at the supermarket today. I had noticed that my basket of stuff indicated that I had no favorite brands of things I just bought what was on special. People are regularly telling me “I thought you drank…” Diet Coke/Pepsi (pick one), because I just grab whichever case of cans costs least. I don’t even have favorite soaps, shampoos or toothpaste. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-very-favorite-y-person/516280/6 "2009-11-04T15:33:24Z")
i have a hard time conceiving of the concept of a favorite. i might have opinions if limited to smaller groupings. like for foods; main dish, side dish, dessert, seasonal. music maybe if different genre. ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-very-favorite-y-person/516280/7 "2009-11-04T15:39:28Z")
No. Especially in broad categories. If you ask what my favorite film is, or food I cannot possibly narrow it down. If you ask somehting more specific such as what’s my favorite appetizer to order at chinese restaurants I’d say scallion pancakes, and then back pedal and tell you that I much prefer pork buns but none of the restaurants around here have them on the menu, and I really like cold noodles with sesame sauce, too… I think it’s a committment issue. That and I don’t want to hurt any of the other appetizers’ feelings… ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-very-favorite-y-person/516280/8 "2009-11-04T15:49:49Z")
Yes, absolutely. Yankees, Graig Nettles, Steelers, John Stallworth, Sixers, Dr. J, Devils, Marty Brodeur, pizza, idli sambhaar, Hoegaarden, Johnnie Walker Black Label, Pepsi, Radiohead, The Smiths, Fabolous, _Bottle Rocket_, Robert DeNiro, Christy Canyon, Whitney Stevens, red… to name just a few. ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-very-favorite-y-person/516280/9 "2009-11-04T15:49:50Z")
It drives my family nuts, but no. They’re always asking things like what’s your favorite food/film/song/group and I honestly can’t answer. My usual response is “it depends.” Sometimes you want champagne, sometimes you want beer. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-very-favorite-y-person/516280/10 "2009-11-04T16:00:05Z")
> [@gwendee](#): > > No. Especially in broad categories. If you ask what my favorite film is, or food I cannot possibly narrow it down. If you ask somehting more specific such as what’s my favorite appetizer to order at chinese restaurants I’d say scallion pancakes, and then back pedal and tell you that I much prefer pork buns but none of the restaurants around here have them on the menu, and I really like cold noodles with sesame sauce, too… > > I think it’s a committment issue. That and I don’t want to hurt any of the other appetizers’ feelings… I don’t care about hurting the appetizers’ feelings. Just the junk food. 😃 Though I agree, that I’m better with specific things. It’s easy for me to say my favorite Chinese food or favorite green veggie or favorite soup. Especially with food. I think food is just so huge that naming my favorite one would be kind of daunting. ---
**Author:** ![LilyoftheValley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/54ee81/32.png) [@LilyoftheValley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilyoftheValley)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-very-favorite-y-person/516280/11 "2009-11-04T17:22:32Z")
Not at all. And I am most puzzled by the concept of having a favorite color. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-very-favorite-y-person/516280/12 "2009-11-04T17:30:53Z")
> [@LilyoftheValley](#): > > Not at all. And I am most puzzled by the concept of having a favorite color. Yes, thank you! What does it mean, for example, for “red” to be your favorite color? There are all sorts of different shades of red, and all sorts of different shades of other colors. And red “works” better in some contexts than in others. And if everything were red, I’d get sick and tired of it, and long for a bit of blue or green. ---
**Author:** ![torie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@torie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/torie)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-very-favorite-y-person/516280/13 "2009-11-04T17:43:35Z")
I have a favorite astrological sign (although my interest in the astrology/magick and other new agey things is mostly intellectual, I would most want to be friends with the person described in the Libra category. I also like the symbol.) I have a favorite British monarch. (Elizabeth I, with Edward VII as a close second.) I have a favorite British general. (Tarleton has always held a special place in my heart.) I have a favorite hairstyle, a favorite jacket, a favorite shirt, a favorite US president, a favorite ancient culture, a favorite of damn near anything I am interested in. I’m always saying things like “You know, \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_, my favorite [thing]” That’s something I never realized about me until I saw this thread and started thinking about it. I wonder what that says about a person. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-very-favorite-y-person/516280/14 "2009-11-04T17:51:44Z")
This thread got me thinking, too - I have some favourites, but not many, and they may also vary. My husband, on the other hand, is like **Jacknifed Juggernaut** - he has many favourites, and he’ll defend them to the death (it does, however, make shopping for him very easy 🙂 ). ---
**Author:** ![BobArrgh](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobarrgh/32/2881_2.png) [@BobArrgh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobArrgh)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-very-favorite-y-person/516280/15 "2009-11-04T18:30:09Z")
Here’s a few … [ul] [li]Raindrops on roses[/li][li]Whiskers on kittens[/li][li]Bright copper kettles[/li][li]Warm woolen mittens[/li][li]Brown paper packages tied up with strings[/li][/ul] Arrgh … too easy! ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-very-favorite-y-person/516280/16 "2009-11-04T18:38:59Z")
No. I’m not at all. I’m bad at least-favorites, too. Some of my friends regularly have “words I hate the most” discussions, and I always fail because I can never think of any words I hate a lot. Well, except “methinks”, but that’s only because I think it makes the speaker look like a douchebag, not because it is inherently a bad word. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-very-favorite-y-person/516280/17 "2009-11-04T18:49:55Z")
I don’t have many favorites. I have a favorite team in my favorite sport, and even a favorite way for the team I’m rooting for to score. But as a Doper recently discovered, asking me about a favorite movie is like pulling teeth. I don’t have “a” favorite for most things. I have some things that I might say “That’s one of my favorites” but there are hundreds or thousands of those. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-very-favorite-y-person/516280/18 "2009-11-04T18:52:05Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Yes, thank you! What does it mean, for example, for “red” to be your favorite color? There are all sorts of different shades of red, and all sorts of different shades of other colors. And red “works” better in some contexts than in others. And if everything were red, I’d get sick and tired of it, and long for a bit of blue or green. Just because pizza is my favorite food doesn’t mean I eat it at every meal, and it isn’t appropriate for all meals. Same thing with red. I just like the color more than other colors. I used to have a girlfriend whose favorite color was vermilion. I’m not that specific towards any shade of red. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-very-favorite-y-person/516280/19 "2009-11-04T19:41:21Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Yes, thank you! What does it mean, for example, for “red” to be your favorite color? There are all sorts of different shades of red, and all sorts of different shades of other colors. And red “works” better in some contexts than in others. And if everything were red, I’d get sick and tired of it, and long for a bit of blue or green. For me it just means I like it a lot. Mine is blue and I usually tend to go with the blue item of clothing when shopping for clothes. Not always, but often. It’s not even conscious, but looking over my jewelry/clothing, there’s quite a bit more blue. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2009, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-very-favorite-y-person/516280/20 "2009-11-05T14:48:23Z")
I’m another few-if-any-favorites person. The very idea makes very little sense to me. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-a-very-favorite-y-person/516280.md?page=2)