Man Calls Having A Favorite Color ‘Childish’ — ‘Nobody Actually Cares’
He claimed that we should be having deeper conversation as adults.
Krakenimages.com | Shutterstock A man is being accused of sucking the fun out of everything after claiming that having a favorite color should be something that we leave in our childhoods. Posting to Reddit, he claimed that when people meet for the first time, they should try to share something meaningful about themselves instead of having surface-level conversations about what the other person's favorite color is.
A man claimed that having a favorite color is 'childish.'
"Recently, someone has said to me, their favorite color is blue, and I was overwhelmed with nothingness," he began in his Reddit post. "I've been trying to understand what to make out of that emotion, and I kept thinking how trivial it is, how nobody actually cares and how it does not serve any purpose to have one."
He explained that as a little boy, if someone had asked what his favorite color was, he would've said blue. But now, as an adult, he admitted that he doesn't really have a favorite color, nor does he ever think about it. Instead, he has favorites of more tangible things, like music, car designs, and food, as many other people have as well.
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The crux of his argument was that adults should have more meaningful interests.
He claimed that having a favorite color as a child was considered "cool," but as an adult, people should find something else to talk about when they're meeting someone for the first time.
"But as an adult? Okay, you're picking orange on a board game because it was your favorite color as a child, that's fine. But if someone wants to introduce themselves, they should use something a little more personal, and relatable to adults," he added. Many people in the comments of his Reddit post pointed out that when you're first meeting someone, no one ever wants to start with the heavy things.
Probably the most interesting outcome from his post, however, was the sheer fact that everyone responding, which was nearly 1,000 people at the time of this writing, was actively engaged in discussing their color preferences. The commenters were genuinely excited. They discussed their favorites and why they were their favorites, and why they thought he was wrong.
Perhaps that's what he was missing: asking about something innocuous, like a favorite color or even a favorite food, starts the ball rolling and gives people something they are comfortable sharing. It's not a stressful topic. You can have an opinion on it without being judged.
Asking someone about their favorite color can easily lead to discussing other topics. Perhaps they have a memory associated with the color, or a humorous story that involves it, or something similar. As much as people hate small talk, it can actually be good for those who struggle with first impressions and socializing with new people.
Small talk has been proven to be good for you.
Research has shown that small talk and light conversations with people you don't know well can have great benefits for your health and overall well-being, including boosting your mood and reducing feelings of isolation and loneliness, according to CNN.
Considering we're in the midst of a loneliness epidemic, with many people struggling to make new friends and find community, small talk might be one of the most effective ways to help people.
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"(Small talk) is something that we psychologists think is kind of fundamental. It’s like (how) we need food, we need water — we need to feel like we belong and that we matter to other people," explained Dr. Gillian Sandstrom in an interview with CNN. It's through these light conversations that don't have to get too heavy that people can find connection.
So, talking about your favorite color might seem trivial, but it all leads to a greater sense of belonging. Whether you're checking out at the grocery store and having a conversation with the cashier, or saying something quick to the person sitting next to you on the bus, these moments mean so much to so many people.
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor's degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.
