# Things I still don't get ... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 17, 2011, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-still-dont-get/567925 "2011-01-17T09:05:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 136
**Author:** ![iamnotbatman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/858c86/32.png) [@iamnotbatman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamnotbatman)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-still-dont-get/567925/136 "2011-01-20T10:45:27Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > I’ve read Shakespeare’s works, I’ve seen Shakespearian Plays performed by professionals who know what they’re doing, and I’ve watched films of Shakespearian works, and as a general rule they fail to maintain my interest. I was referring to reading about Shakespeare. There are literally hundreds of fantastic books exploring and explaining what makes his writing special. > [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > > [@iamnotbatman](#): > > > > Not knowing what the point of poetry is (for example), or not having any idea what makes Shakespeare a great writer, has nothing to do with taste. > > Yes, it does. It has a _lot_ to do with taste. Personally, I _hate_ poetry, despite knowing perfectly well what the “point” of it is. Since you lack reading comprehension (how’s that MA working out for you?), let me repeat myself: not knowing the point of poetry or not having any idea what makes Shakespeare a great writer is not a matter of taste. It’s a matter of ignorance (SD: “Fighting ignorance since 1973” btw). Whether you enjoy poetry or Shakespeare is perhaps a matter of taste, though from experience it is likely combined with ignorance. Anyone I know who has ever found something boring and then happened upon a good professor or book about it, has totally changed their minds. Perhaps you lack this life experience? > [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > Or, you could just accept that our viewpoint on the subject is different to many (if not most) other people’s. I’ve lost count of the number of things where I’ve had to make peace with having the minority opinion. I just can’t accept that you have given an honest effort at the appreciation. This is drawing from my own experience. I could be wrong. If so, I’m sorry. --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-still-dont-get/567925)._