Pineapple Express: Someone Is Wrong on the Internet?

[gnarlygninja]

There’s a difference between good faith exploration of something that didn’t work for you and trying to understand what other people liked about it and “all things of x genre are terrible and I don’t need to actually try any of them to know that and you have bad taste for liking it.”

To be clear, you don’t have to like anything but your not liking a thing is less interesting than you think it is and definitely does not make you interesting or reflect some elegant taste you’ve developed.

Oh, for sure, I agree with all this. I've just noticed that in big parts of the greater internet the distinction between the two is vanishing so I have a knee jerk reaction to defend the former. I also spent a few years in my late 20s in a friend group that didn't (I once had to write out an apology for saying a book I didn't know they had read and liked was terrible), which also adds to the instinct.
But on the whole I think people would be much happier if they spent less time thinking about the things they don't like, let alone yelling about them online. That's time that could be better spent reading a book or watching a movie or playing a game you do like.

 

[Meech17]

Pizza related life story.

I moved from Ohio to the Metro-Detroit area about 2.5 years ago. You might not have guessed this.. But Detroit style pizza is very popular around here. I'm a fan.. I have been since before I moved here. However, after over two years, I'm a little tired of it. Back in Central Ohio, crispy thin crust pizza was very popular (So much so that I was kind of tired of that prior to moving.. Now I miss it.), but in general we had lots of varied options, and I miss just having different styles all the time. Thin Crust, Detroit style, New York style, there was even a semi-local place that served the abomination of Chicago style pizza where they make pizza sauce soup inside of a pizza crust bread bowl. (I don't hate Chicago style za either, all things considered.)

So moving up here I've been itching for something... Just different. There's a chain here called Buscemi's (As far as I know, it's of no relation to Steve) and when I first moved here I pointed it out to my girlfriend and she said it was awful. I took her at her word. It's a weird chain, with standalone restaurants, as well as being tied into gas stations and liquor stores.. Surely a place as generous with it's franchises must not be great.

Couple of weekends ago she was out of town and I was on my own for dinner, and after work I found myself at a gas station with a Buscemi's tied to it. I said screw it.. I'm feeling adventurous... And with the boss lady out of town I wanted to be rebellious. So I popped in and grabbed a couple of tall boys and two slices of pepperoni Za. Already they're winning me over. There's not a lot of places in the burbs that offer pizza by the slice anymore it seems. There's an older dude working the counter and he takes my money, and then asks me if I'm in a hurry. I say no, and he suggests waiting a couple minutes. I agree and then he pulls a fresh pie out of the oven and gives me a few slices, and a small cup of banana peppers.

It's got a dense, soft, chewy crust. Slightly sweet sauce, but not too sweet.

It was a good slice. Not the best I've every had.. But easily the best slice I've ever had from a gas station. I'd also rank it well above Little Caesar's as a budget option. I went back the next day and had a big calzone for lunch. Also stellar.

 

[Thomas Shey]

Oh, for sure, I agree with all this. I've just noticed that in big parts of the greater internet the distinction between the two is vanishing so I have a knee jerk reaction to defend the former. I also spent a few years in my late 20s in a friend group that didn't (I once had to write out an apology for saying a book I didn't know they had read and liked was terrible), which also adds to the instinct.
But on the whole I think people would be much happier if they spent less time thinking about the things they don't like, let alone yelling about them online. That's time that could be better spent reading a book or watching a movie or playing a game you do like.

The problem with that is I don't find much to talk about in something I unequivocally like. Likewise, I don't find too much useful to say about something a overwhelmingly hate. Its things I see virtues in that I also find problems in that evoke most thought with me, and those problem areas are likely what I want to talk about.

And that can be broad or narrow. I like RPGs as a whole; but I don't like all things that are considered virtues in them, and I tend to not like letting pass people talking about those things as though its a given their a virtue.

That can very much make me seem like an argumentative so-and-so, and I don't fault anyone who finds that annoying, but its those area I find it interesting to have discussion in.

 

[TiQuinn]

Ok, yes, I know I'm being annoying.

But, I'm keeping my idiocy confined to one thread, I'm not spreading it anywhere and it's just SOOOOO cathartic to get all bent out of shape and argumentative about something that really, really doesn't matter because if I start to talk about the stuff that actually does matter, I'm probably going to wind up on some sort of watch list.

So, let me vent in peace and I promise to keep it contained to one place.

I wouldn’t assume anyone or everyone commenting here is referring to you or that one thread.

 

[el-remmen]

Here is my recent pizza story, I keep seeing video memes (perhaps you have seen it too) that claims that "in Pittsburgh" pizza is cooked with just the dough and sauce and then the cheese and topping are added cold afterward, slightly melting (but barely). To be honest it looks gross and I have tried it and I would say it also is gross - but to each their own.

The problem is, of course, that this is one fairly well-known pizza restaurant in Pittsburgh (south hills) and not really a "pittsburgh-style" pizza or served that way in other places around the city and its suburbs.

However, despite not being a lifelong yinzer, I have been visiting here and now living here long enough that it really bothers me that people claim that this idiosyncratic joint represents my adopted hometown's taste in pizza as a whole and then a kajillion people pile on in the comments - without ever having tried it or any other pizza in the Burgh.

All that said, I am from Brooklyn, NY. The birthplace of pizza and that is still my preference (I don't even like pizza from Manhattan).

 

[gnarlygninja]

That's a really common thing in those food style lists the internet loves. There are a couple "regional styles" of bbq that were really just a thing one or two people did until people got obsessed with listing out all the kinds of bbq they could find.

 

[dragoner]

The late night slice before catching a train was pretty good in the city. Though I also used to lived off the marcy stop, and there was a Puerto Rican place with a cheap plate: beans, rice, plantain, and roast pork was good, inexpensive. Couple of dumplings on the side. My GF who was British would be like do I even know what I am eating? lol

 

[MNblockhead]

Do you also enjoy succotash?

Yeah, though I have not had it much and we I have it often had corn beef or pork mixed in. I don't like it with okra. I don't like anything with okra.

 

[MNblockhead]

Actually, since I read every post out loud you all sound like me...

Thank you for improving my voice!

 

[Old Fezziwig]

Yeah, though I have not had it much and we I have it often had corn beef or pork mixed in. I don't like it with okra. I don't like anything with okra.

Okra's hard. I've enjoyed it deep-fried with salt, but I'm pretty sure I'd enjoy shoe leather deep-fried with salt. I keep on getting maque choux as a side thinking I might like it, but I've either not had good maque choux, or, well, okra's not for me.