--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Everyone thinks they have good taste, but…" description: "\"“Everyone thinks they have good taste, but most people do not have good taste. In fact, I'd argue that most people have terrible taste. When left to th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0c/gabrielle-zevin-626_good-taste_everyone-thinks-they-have-good-taste-but_3085016.png" --- # Everyone thinks they have good taste, but most people do… ![“Everyone thinks they have good taste, but most people do not have good taste. In fact, I'd argue that most people have terrible taste. When left to their own devices—literally their own devices—they read crap and they don't know the difference.” quote by Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0c/gabrielle-zevin-626_good-taste_everyone-thinks-they-have-good-taste-but_3085016.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0c/gabrielle-zevin-626_good-taste_everyone-thinks-they-have-good-taste-but_3085016.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0c/gabrielle-zevin-626_good-taste_everyone-thinks-they-have-good-taste-but_3085016.png) > ““Everyone thinks they have good taste, but most people do not have good taste. In fact, I'd argue that most people have terrible taste. When left to their own devices—literally their own devices—they read crap and they don't know the difference.”” [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Most people overestimate their aesthetic judgment, leading to poor choices in media consumption. **In simple terms:** People think they have good taste, but often they don't. Key Takeaway Question your assumptions about taste. Themes taste media criticism self‑awareness Mood critical analytical Type cultural self‑reflective When to use this quote - choosing books - selecting movies - curating playlists Key Concepts cognitive bias cultural literacy Questions to Reflect On - How do you define "good" taste? - What steps can improve your discernment? A Different Perspective Taste is subjective; what seems "crap" to one may be valuable to another. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Good taste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-taste/) ## Related quotes > [Taste tends to develop very unevenly. It's rare that the same person has good visual taste and good taste in people and taste in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/taste-tends-to-develop-very-unevenly-it-s-rare-that-the-same-person/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [People pull away from something if it's not of good taste. People lean into something if it's okay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-patrick-king/people-pull-away-from-something-if-it-s-not-of-good-taste-people-lean/) [Michael Patrick King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-patrick-king/) > [Smell and taste are in fact but a single composite sense, whose laboratory is the mouth and its chimney the nose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-anthelme-brillat-savarin/smell-and-taste-are-in-fact-but-a-single-composite-sense-whose/) [Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-anthelme-brillat-savarin/) > [“She has no taste left to her and this makes it easier for me. The color of her where she is inside is enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/she-has-no-taste-left-to-her-and-this-makes-it-easier-for-me-the/) [Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/) > [I think probably Australians have just a little more taste than most people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-diamond/i-think-probably-australians-have-just-a-little-more-taste-than-most/) [Neil Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-diamond/) > [More and more into natural feelings rather than convoluted feelings or tastemaking or what have you. You always need critique, rock critics, but you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-vernon/more-and-more-into-natural-feelings-rather-than-convoluted-feelings/) [Justin Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-vernon/) > [You have to want to have taste. Some people have inherently bad taste. Their problem is really not the bad taste -- that can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-donovan/you-have-to-want-to-have-taste-some-people-have-inherently-bad-taste/) [Carrie Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-donovan/) > [“Manners,” I say. “It ain't polite to taste people. Shit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nenia-campbell/manners-i-say-it-ain-t-polite-to-taste-people-shit/) [Nenia Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nenia-campbell/) > [“It is impossible to have bad taste, but many people have none at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-christoph-lichtenberg/it-is-impossible-to-have-bad-taste-but-many-people-have-none-at-all/) [Georg Christoph Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-christoph-lichtenberg/) > [I don't shout people down. I argue people down, perhaps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/i-don-t-shout-people-down-i-argue-people-down-perhaps/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [My silence doesn't mean I quit, it means I don't wanna argue with people who just don't understand..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-silence-doesn-t-mean-i-quit-it-means-i-don-t-wanna-argue-with/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“This is why I don't like to argue with people. You say things you don't mean. Or, you kind of mean them, but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-wittlinger/this-is-why-i-don-t-like-to-argue-with-people-you-say-things-you-don/) [Ellen Wittlinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-wittlinger/) > [I don't argue with people that dislike me because they will never agree with me on anything or admit that they're wrong. It's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/i-don-t-argue-with-people-that-dislike-me-because-they-will-never-2/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [A state rep in Oklahoma gave a horrific speech where she felt the homosexual agenda was a greater threat to America than terrorism. People…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-jordan/a-state-rep-in-oklahoma-gave-a-horrific-speech-where-she-felt-the/) [Leslie Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-jordan/) > [I don't argue with people that dislike me because they will never agree with me on anything or admit that they're wrong. Its a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/i-don-t-argue-with-people-that-dislike-me-because-they-will-never/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) ## More by Gabrielle Zevin > [“He didn't break my heart. No one can break your heart except you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/he-didn-t-break-my-heart-no-one-can-break-your-heart-except-you/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [People are capable of great, great change during the span of one lifetime. And women even more than men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/people-are-capable-of-great-great-change-during-the-span-of-one/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [That Woman is in love with her own grief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/that-woman-is-in-love-with-her-own-grief/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [He kissed me, though not in a sexy way. Gentle. Tender.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/he-kissed-me-though-not-in-a-sexy-way-gentle-tender/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [Daddy always said the only thing worth begging for was your life, but maybe he was wrong. Maybe sometimes your love is a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/daddy-always-said-the-only-thing-worth-begging-for-was-your-life-but/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [“I am repulsed by ghostwritten novels by reality television stars, celebrity picture books, sports memoirs, movie tie-in editions, novelty items, and—I imagine this goes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/i-am-repulsed-by-ghostwritten-novels-by-reality-television-stars/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [I wish I could tell you to always follow your heart, but I think it is bad advice. You have a heart, yes, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/i-wish-i-could-tell-you-to-always-follow-your-heart-but-i-think-it-is/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [“It is a lie that you should only speak from your heart- you ought to let your brain play a part too.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/it-is-a-lie-that-you-should-only-speak-from-your-heart-you-ought-to/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [I wondered if the person who really loves you is the person who knows all your stories, the person who WANTS to know all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/i-wondered-if-the-person-who-really-loves-you-is-the-person-who-knows/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [“Most people's problems would be solved if they would only give more things a chance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/most-people-s-problems-would-be-solved-if-they-would-only-give-more/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [“It is lucky, she thinks, that we don’t feel all the love inside us every moment. We couldn’t breathe or walk or eat. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/it-is-lucky-she-thinks-that-we-don-t-feel-all-the-love-inside-us/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [“Real love' is not just instinct, but intent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/real-love-is-not-just-instinct-but-intent/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [Hi there," squeaked a precocious little voice, "you are speaking to Chloe Fusakawa, and I have just learned how to answer the phone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/hi-there-squeaked-a-precocious-little-voice-you-are-speaking-to-chloe/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [“Well, I’m warning you. I could be a bad book with a good jacket.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/well-i-m-warning-you-i-could-be-a-bad-book-with-a-good-jacket/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [“A place ain’t a place without a bookstore,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/a-place-ain-t-a-place-without-a-bookstore/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) [Explore all 425 Gabrielle Zevin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) ## More Good taste quotes > [Good taste ruins certain true spiritual values: such as taste itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coco-chanel/good-taste-ruins-certain-true-spiritual-values-such-as-taste-itself/) [Coco Chanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coco-chanel/) > [Good taste is better than bad taste, but bad taste is better than no taste.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/good-taste-is-better-than-bad-taste-but-bad-taste-is-better-than-no/) [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) > [Fashion is here to help make people look very important. If they have good taste and choose what suits them, I give them options…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivienne-westwood/fashion-is-here-to-help-make-people-look-very-important-if-they-have/) [Vivienne Westwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivienne-westwood/) > [Good taste cannot supply the place of genius in literature, for the best proof of taste, when there is no genius, would be, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madame-de-stael/good-taste-cannot-supply-the-place-of-genius-in-literature-for-the/) [Madame de Stael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madame-de-stael/) > [I'm big on what's in good taste.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-ocean/i-m-big-on-what-s-in-good-taste/) [Frank Ocean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-ocean/) > [The male gay community seems to be very into female singers. I think it could be the songs we sing. They're more open with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-minnelli/the-male-gay-community-seems-to-be-very-into-female-singers-i-think/) [Liza Minnelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-minnelli/) > [Good taste comes more from the judgment than from the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/good-taste-comes-more-from-the-judgment-than-from-the-mind/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [The kind of people who always go on about whether a thing is in good taste invariably have very bad taste.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-orton/the-kind-of-people-who-always-go-on-about-whether-a-thing-is-in-good/) [Joe Orton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-orton/) > [Good taste is synonymous with success in all fields of life. It's not a question of money, but of a trained eye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/letitia-baldrige/good-taste-is-synonymous-with-success-in-all-fields-of-life-it-s-not/) [Letitia Baldrige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/letitia-baldrige/) > [Simplicity, good taste and grooming are the three fundamentals of good dressing and these do not cost money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-dior/simplicity-good-taste-and-grooming-are-the-three-fundamentals-of-good/) [Christian Dior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-dior/) > [My grandmother used to babysit us when I was younger, and would always play old-school music. It gets to me. Grandma had some good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-green/my-grandmother-used-to-babysit-us-when-i-was-younger-and-would-always/) [Virgil Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-green/) > [My family brainwashed me, like I'm brainwashing my children. They brainwashed me with good taste.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madlib/my-family-brainwashed-me-like-i-m-brainwashing-my-children-they/) [Madlib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madlib/) > [Those Dutchmen had hardly any imagination or fantasy, but their good taste and their scientific knowledge of composition were enormous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/those-dutchmen-had-hardly-any-imagination-or-fantasy-but-their-good/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [I believe that bad taste is vulgar. It's like cursing. I think the world can be saved through design, because what is the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kanye-west/i-believe-that-bad-taste-is-vulgar-it-s-like-cursing-i-think-the/) [Kanye West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kanye-west/) > [Tact is good taste in action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-de-poitiers/tact-is-good-taste-in-action/) [Diane de Poitiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-de-poitiers/) [Browse all 228 Good taste quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-taste/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Everyone thinks they have good taste, but most people do not have good taste. In fact, I'd argue that most people have terrible taste. 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