# "What's your favorite color" is nonsensical to me **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 14, 2014, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-color-is-nonsensical-to-me/695523 "2014-08-14T16:59:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![jharvey963](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/54ee81/32.png) [@jharvey963](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jharvey963)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2014, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-color-is-nonsensical-to-me/695523/41 "2014-08-16T20:45:39Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > I remember telling someone a few years ago that I didn’t have a favorite color. He pointed out that I wear a lot of purple (lavender, specifically), so I started going with that. But now my wardrobe doesn’t have any purple. So I don’t know what to tell people. Yeah, this is what I was talking about in the OP. I don’t really have any feelings about that, so I look at what I do, and make an inference from that. It isn’t because I really like that color more than any other. J. ---
**Author:** ![common\_good](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f475e1/32.png) [@common\_good](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/common_good)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2014, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-color-is-nonsensical-to-me/695523/42 "2014-08-16T21:00:28Z")
I don’t recall encountering anyone who posed this query before, but I’ve always thought the same thing as the OP. I’ve never had a favorite and always thought it was not necessary, as a practical matter. Just as easy to say “all of them”. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2014, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-color-is-nonsensical-to-me/695523/43 "2014-08-17T01:32:56Z")
I met a dude named Cerulean once. ---
**Author:** ![DChord568](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@DChord568](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DChord568)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2014, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-color-is-nonsensical-to-me/695523/44 "2014-08-17T03:02:46Z")
> [@Wile\_E](#): > > But don’t ask me my favorite food, TV show, band or any other number of things because I either can’t pick a favorite or my favorite changes with my mood. The difference is, with color you have a fairly limited selection of choices. Even if you go with all the variations a given color might have (which most don’t, limiting their answer to a primary color or secondary color), the number of answers you can give will be in the dozens at the very most. By contrast, the number of foods, TV shows, bands, albums, songs, etc. you might choose from is many orders of magnitude greater. And within each category are multiple criteria of virtually limitless variety and subtlety. Color may be applied to any number of objects…but in the end, it’s just a color. Its number of different attributes is pretty limited. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-color-is-nonsensical-to-me/695523/45 "2014-08-18T14:00:57Z")
> [@DChord568](#): > > The difference is, with color you have a fairly limited selection of choices. Even if you go with all the variations a given color might have (which most don’t, limiting their answer to a primary color or secondary color), the number of answers you can give will be in the dozens at the very most. [Huh?](http://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/19690/how-many-colors-exist) > [@](#): > > …the eye is logarithmic, so this range should be the same in the total number of octaves, at most 10, I’ll say about 4, and more for red/green then for blue, so that the right estimate is about 1000^3, or a billion colors. Not all of those billions are discernable to the human eye, but they are there. It may be true to say that commonly referenced colors are more limited, but there are currently 140 defined, named colors for HTML coding. Still too many for me to pick from… ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-color-is-nonsensical-to-me/695523/46 "2014-08-18T14:11:04Z")
…But enough for practical purposes, don’t you think? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-color-is-nonsensical-to-me/695523/47 "2014-08-18T14:16:57Z")
Since when did practicality enter a discussion here? “Just the pedantic facts, Ma’am.” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-color-is-nonsensical-to-me/695523/48 "2014-08-18T14:36:17Z")
Thank you, Doctor Sergeant Friday. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![DChord568](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@DChord568](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DChord568)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-color-is-nonsensical-to-me/695523/49 "2014-08-18T14:37:54Z")
> [@Doctor\_Jackson](#): > > [Huh?](http://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/19690/how-many-colors-exist) > Not all of those billions are discernable to the human eye, but they are there. It may be true to say that commonly referenced colors are more limited, but there are currently 140 defined, named colors for HTML coding. Still too many for me to pick from… The existence of all the many subtle variations of color discernible to the human eye has nothing to do with most people’s response to “What’s your favorite color” question — as I indicated in my previous post (“which most don’t, limiting their answer to a primary color or secondary color”). ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2014, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-color-is-nonsensical-to-me/695523/50 "2014-08-19T13:11:54Z")
> [@DChord568](#): > > The existence of all the many subtle variations of color discernible to the human eye has nothing to do with most people’s response to “What’s your favorite color” question — as I indicated in my previous post (“which most don’t, limiting their answer to a primary color or secondary color”). I can’t answer for most people, but I gave the answer for my case - too many subtle variations from which to choose means no favorite. Applies to color, music, people, etc. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2014, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-color-is-nonsensical-to-me/695523/51 "2014-08-19T14:07:32Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > I remember, when I was a kid, finding the sea green Crayola crayon incredibly beautiful. I liked that one best. (Now I kind of wonder what I saw in that crayon.) Yes, it’s funny how my favorite color has changed over the years. I’m not a girly girl but when I was little I really did like pink and light purple the best. I loved periwinkle for many years, but now I can see the charm in earthier tones like loden. And I still like purple, but more of a plummy rich purple with red/brown behind it. I end up being afraid to really invest in accessories, etc., because long-term I will change my mind again. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2014, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-color-is-nonsensical-to-me/695523/52 "2014-08-19T14:30:07Z")
> [@jharvey963](#): > > When someone asks “What’s your favorite color?”, the question just seems nonsensical to me. Why would anyone actually prefer one color over another? Funny you should post this, it came up just the other day; my oldest asked me what my favourite colour was. To which I replied, “Colour of what?” I mean, I like that my car is red, but I wouldn’t wear red jeans. I like gold jewelry, but I wouldn’t want gold thread in my clothes. Different colours make me happy in different places. A baseball diamond should be green grass and reddish clay. An ocean should be a perfect blue. A steak should be that brown color a steak is supposed to be. Beer should be, you know, beer color. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2014, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-color-is-nonsensical-to-me/695523/53 "2014-08-19T15:10:56Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > I mean, I like that my car is red, but I wouldn’t wear red jeans. I like gold jewelry, but I wouldn’t want gold thread in my clothes. Different colours make me happy in different places. A baseball diamond should be green grass and reddish clay. An ocean should be a perfect blue. A steak should be that brown color a steak is supposed to be. Beer should be, you know, beer color. Not to pick on you but I still think people are not understanding the question. As you note, beer should be beer colored. And grass should be green and oceans should be blue. But when people ask you what your favorite color is, they’re not asking you about beer or grass or oceans. They’re asking you about colors. Just imagine a neutral context in which there’s no natural color and no color has any pre-existing connotation. And now just pick the color you think looks the best. It’s a really simple question and I can’t see why so many people are making it complicated. What do you people do when you have to make a difficult choice, like getting an ice cream cone? ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2014, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-color-is-nonsensical-to-me/695523/54 "2014-08-19T15:29:34Z")
You’ll get all the purple I own when you pry it from my cold dead hands. ---
**Author:** ![Sahirrnee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sahirrnee/32/13937_2.png) [@Sahirrnee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sahirrnee)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2014, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-color-is-nonsensical-to-me/695523/55 "2014-08-19T15:51:51Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Not to pick on you but I still think people are not understanding the question. As you note, beer should be beer colored. And grass should be green and oceans should be blue. > > But when people ask you what your favorite color is, they’re not asking you about beer or grass or oceans. They’re asking you about colors. Just imagine a neutral context in which there’s no natural color and no color has any pre-existing connotation. And now just pick the color you think looks the best. > > It’s a really simple question and I can’t see why so many people are making it complicated. What do you people do when you have to make a difficult choice, like getting an ice cream cone? Getting an ice cream cone is easy, if I want ice cream I already know what I want - except I almost never do because I’m lactose intolerant. I have no favorite color even in a neutral sense because it still depends on my mood at that time. I lean towards the blues and greens, but I also like yellow and lavender. Even between those four I couldn’t pick a favorite because today I might like green and tomorrow I might like blue. Also, I can’t remove color from it’s context. I don’t like the color white but if I look out my window after a blizzard and see everything covered in pristine snow - well white is pretty damn pretty in that context. Would I ever chose to surround myself with white? Hell no, but I can appreciate it in that context. However, if I walked into a room that was decorated entirely in pristine white I’d think it was the ugly. Picking a favorite color is like picking a favorite fragrance. My perfume might smell nice on me but it sure isn’t going to smell nice on freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. Peppermint might smell good in toothpaste but I wouldn’t want my sheets to smell that way. ---
**Author:** ![JackieLikesVariety](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackielikesvariety/32/296_2.png) [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2014, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-color-is-nonsensical-to-me/695523/56 "2014-08-19T16:55:20Z")
> [@](#): > > But when people ask you what your favorite color is, they’re not asking you about beer or grass or oceans. They’re asking you about colors. Just imagine a neutral context in which there’s no natural color and no color has any pre-existing connotation. And now just pick the color you think looks the best. it’s a close thing, maybe a tie. turquoise and fuchsia. or magenta. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2014, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-color-is-nonsensical-to-me/695523/57 "2014-08-19T20:11:20Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > … But when people ask you what your favorite color is, they’re not asking you about beer or grass or oceans. They’re asking you about colors. Just imagine a neutral context in which there’s no natural color and no color has any pre-existing connotation. And now just pick the color you think looks the best. > > It’s a really simple question and I can’t see why so many people are making it complicated. What do you people do when you have to make a difficult choice, like getting an ice cream cone? But your post demonstrates why it’s such a nonsensical question. Why on earh is it relevant what my favorite color for a “completely neutral context in which there’s no natural color?” When does that ever happen? ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2014, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-color-is-nonsensical-to-me/695523/58 "2014-08-19T20:57:13Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > You’ll get all the purple I own when you pry it from my cold dead hands. Hey, I’m not particular. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2014, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-color-is-nonsensical-to-me/695523/59 "2014-08-19T21:31:41Z")
“Why do hu-mons prefer one color over others? They are merely variations in the wavelength of electromagnetic radiation that correlate to the spectral sensitivity of cone cells in the hu-mon retina!” ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-color-is-nonsensical-to-me/695523/60 "2014-08-20T00:55:15Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > But when people ask you what your favorite color is, they’re not asking you about beer or grass or oceans. They’re asking you about colors. Just imagine a neutral context in which there’s no natural color and no color has any pre-existing connotation. And now just pick the color you think looks the best. Sorry, but I cannot come up with an answer to what is - to me - an illogical question. What you’re saying makes no sense to me at all. There’s no “neutral context.” Color does not exist independently of context; it is a feature of some definable thing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-color-is-nonsensical-to-me/695523.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-color-is-nonsensical-to-me/695523.md?page=4)