I used to really despise newer intellectual trends in the humanities like postmodernism. I saw them as attacks on values that I thought were universal, such as science and the canon of Western thought and literature. Now, through extensive interface with classic texts of Western thought, I have realized that attachment to "universal values" is not only wrongheaded but also contrary to the spirit of precisely the values that I thought were universal.
I also used to dislike anime. Watching anime has, of course, made me really like a lot of anime--Trigun and Neon Genesis Evangelion are probably the most enjoyable experiences I've had with TV/film. My favorite thing peculiar to anime is how much anime seamlessly fuses thematic depth with entertainment value relative to American entertainment. Much of American TV/film is either all about making a point about politics or society or what have you, or pure mindless sex and violence. That's not to say that American entertainment is strictly inferior: in particular I think that American/western entertainment is on the whole more socially subversive than that of Japan. But it's also nice, as in Trigun and Neon Genesis Evangelion, for the deeper themes to not come at the expense of the more visceral experience of enjoyment and excitement.
Originally posted by FPzeroHiphop and rap music. Admittedly, a lot of the rap music coming out in the mid-2000s wasn't great, but I held onto this irrational dislike of the genre for years. These days, I like a lot of classic hiphop and rap music, especially the stuff from the 80s and 90s. There's a lot of good music there, and it's fascinating to listen closely and hear the lyrics. There's a lot of powerful stuff said in those lyrics.
I have an odd relationship with hip-hop. I used to think, probably like most white people, that it was base and vulgar. Since then, I've come to see it as a unique expression of social consciousness, even the stuff that isn't overtly political. Nevertheless, I still don't enjoy listening to it or relate to it in any kind of profound way. If anything the realization that it embodies a unique social consciousness has made me more averse to actually listening to it and appreciating it. While the spirit of rap music is one that I can respect from a distance, it's fundamentally not "for me". It's for other people, and it speaks in a language quite unlike mine.