what is a favorite?
a favorite is something special, something that resonates deeply with who you are and who you want to be. a favorite changes your world, it creates a before and after. a favorite leaves no doubt - if you're not sure, then it isn't a favorite.
finding a favorite is an event to be celebrated, it makes you hopeful: perhaps the future isn't as bad as it may look, if there is a chance that you may find, yet again, something as good as this. it's the best drug ever, a drug made out of pure joy and true awe.
not everything is a favorite. 95% of media is plain mediocre: stuff whose goal is not to fill you with joy, but to pass your time without you noticing. stuff that blurs time and distracts you just enough for you to think: "well, I don't remember much of the experience, but if I sat through it all without screaming, then it must have been good!". that is not true. the goal of good art is not to pass time, but just the opposite: to make you notice the passage of time, cherish it deeply, honour it. it enlivens your perspective, instead of deadening your senses.
a favorite is personal, it speaks deeply to your soul. you are who you are because you love what you love, there is no sense in trying to escape that. never refuse to admit that you like something, and never convince yourself that you like something that you don't. this corrupts the soul and silences your true feelings - next time, your mind will think twice before telling you what you feel. this is why the concept of guilty pleasure is treacherous: love is never something to feel guilty about. [...]