Liking without approval

There’s something oddly quiet about being yourself these days. Not because you don’t want to, but because you’re constantly nudged to want what everyone else wants. You scroll, you see, you like. But is it you who likes it—or the algorithm, or the influencer, or that quiet pressure to blend in?

Outsourced personal taste

Your taste isn’t dead. It’s just been outsourced. Recommendation engines turn your instincts into a forecast. You’re not stumbling into things anymore—you’re being served them. And when every choice you make is optimised for likes, relatability, or “the vibe,” you lose the weird, messy edges that made your taste yours.

You didn’t need twenty reviews to love your favourite weird band. You didn’t wait for a Reddit thread to validate the shoes you picked. You just liked them. But now, wanting something without a consensus feels risky. Worse, it feels like you’re doing it wrong.

Liking without approval

So you play it safe. You pick the same muted tones that make you look competent on Zoom, even if they make you feel invisible. You add the book to your list because everyone in your feed says it changed their life, even though the first few pages already feel like homework. You hit play on the playlist someone called “deep focus,” though your brain just wants silence. It’s not that you don’t know what you like—it’s that liking it without approval feels exposed.

And that’s precisely where marketing wants you. Unsure. Dependent. Always asking, “Is this good?” instead of just saying, “I like this.” Because the moment you start trusting your taste again, you’re harder to sell to.

Don’t try to be original. Try to be honest. Like the thing, even if it makes no sense.

Even if you’re the only one.

Especially if you’re the only one.