In recent years, as algorithms have ‘flattened’ culture in favour of mass appeal, many of us have been attempting to fight back against the rising tide of homogeneity by cultivating our own personal taste. As Dazed’s senior writer Thom Waite puts it: “In a world where AI is automating vast swathes of human activity, and churning out endless rivers of capital-C Content in the process, taste feels like all we have left.” But sussing out your taste is easier said than done, especially when most of us remain locked into platforms like TikTok and Instagram, which push the same, safe content onto everyone’s feeds.

We’ve all been there: buying a coat or novel or tickets to a film just because someone on social media said it was cool, only to feel empty and unsatisfied afterwards. But, thankfully, it’s possible to break out of the online echo chamber, develop your critical thinking skills, and get a clearer handle on your likes and dislikes. If you’re keen to cultivate your personal taste, read on.

FOLLOW YOUR INSTINCTS

It sounds obvious, but many of us aren’t in touch with what we actually like. This is partly because algorithms fill up our feeds with the same shit, but also a result of the moneyed upper classes dictating what is ‘tasteful’ and what is not since time immemorial. Even in 2026, the idea that ‘high brow’ culture (think: ballet, opera, the theatre) is inherently superior to ‘low brow’ culture (reality TV shows, romantasy fiction) prevails. Just look at the backlash Timothée Chalamet recently faced for saying that ballet and opera were dying art forms!

But to get a handle on what we actually like, we need to let go of fusty, classist preconceptions about what makes culture ‘good’ or not. “When it comes to personal taste, none of that really matters.,” says Waite. “The only real measure of taste is whether you can answer two basic questions: do I really like what I like? And why?”

Plus, if you’re struggling to focus on something (be it a book, film, album, or otherwise) because your attention span is so fried from doomscrolling on TikTok, at least give yourself a chance by choosing a piece of work that you’re actually interested in. It’s better to read the entirety of a pulpy beach read than attempt to slog through War and Peace and give up two pages in. 

GO IN BLIND

Often, it can be tempting to lean on others’ opinions before forming an opinion of your own, as no one wants to get caught looking ‘stupid’. But that’s the beauty of engaging with the arts: unlike maths or science, there’s no right or wrong, and so it’s technically impossible to look stupid. With this in mind, it can sometimes be helpful to ‘go in blind’ and engage with a piece of work before hearing anyone else’s take on it.

Waite doesn’t read the wall labels before looking at a piece of art, and similarly avoids reading reviews for books, films, or TV shows before he’s had a chance to read or watch them first. “Then you’re forced to figure it out for yourself,” he says. “Then when you do tune into the discourse afterwards, you’ll have unique and original opinions that everyone will admire, and they’ll all be forced to admit how smart you are.”

ENGAGE WITH CRITICISM...

None of this is to say criticism is redundant: hearing different opinions can be an immensely helpful way to shape your own views, especially when many critics have poured considerable time and energy into becoming experts in their given fields, which often lends their thoughts an interesting edge.

Plus, if you want to develop your taste but don’t know where to start, it can sometimes be helpful to turn to critics to help you find a starting point. For example, if you want to get into film, you could watch all the shortlisted films for the Academy Award for Best Picture. Similarly, if you want to keep abreast of contemporary fiction, you could work your way through the novels shortlisted for the Booker Prize. You don’t have to turn to ‘traditional’ critics, either – if you want something a little less mainstream, we often platform cool, lesser-known films to watch and books to read on Dazed.

…BUT DON’T PARROT IT

But it’s better to use criticism as a means of shaping or informing your taste, rather than seeing it as a stream of ready-made opinions for you to parrot to your friends. Plus, it’s always worth keeping in mind that just because someone works at a big magazine or has written a book or has a massive TikTok following, it doesn’t mean their opinions are gospel. “Engaging with criticism can be useful, but it’s silly to think you have to agree with everything a critic says,” says Waite.

It’s important to get comfortable with disagreeing with critics – even, and arguably especially, with those you really admire. “I regularly disagree with some of my favourite critics and writers – they’re my favourites because of how they express their opinions, or how those opinions fit into their broader cultural worldview, not because they reaffirm my own opinions at every turn,” says Waite.

In a world where AI is automating vast swathes of human activity, and churning out endless rivers of capital-C Content in the process, taste feels like all we have left

LOG OFF

Limiting your cultural consumption to whatever the algorithm wants to shill you will make it harder, not easier, to figure out what you truly enjoy. This is especially true when it comes to fashion – thanks to the rise of TikTok, the trend cycle has sped up, leading to the proliferation of fleeting ‘microtrends’ (see: ‘Carolyn Bessette Kennedy’, ‘whimsigoth’, ‘cottagecore’). But, as many of us have doubtless realised firsthand by now, attempting to replicate these trends is often unfulfilling and leaves us feeling even more uncertain of what our preferences are. 

BE INTENTIONAL IF YOU DO USE SOCIAL MEDIA 

If you must use social media, use it mindfully. I concede that, sometimes, the algorithm will introduce you to an exciting new author or stylish fashion influencer or cool cult director you’d never heard of before. And by all means, follow your favourite critics, publications, sartorialists, thinkers, and writers on platforms like TikTok. But think critically about what they’re posting. Is it possible that they’ve been paid to promote that book? Are they gushing about that film because they got a free ticket to the premiere? Will you actually enjoy wearing those shoes, or do they just look cool on your phone screen?

It can also be worth checking out more underground social media platforms like Are.na and Perfectly Imperfect, where you’re much more likely to be introduced to genuinely new and interesting stuff.

STOP WORRYING ABOUT WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK

This is easier said than done, granted. But ask yourself why you clicked on this article in the first place: are you genuinely curious about how to become more confident in your opinions and reconnect with your interests? Or do you just like the sound of being a ‘disgustingly educated girlie’ and want people to think of you as someone with ‘good taste’?

If it’s the latter, try to disengage with the potential judgments people might make about your preferences. First of all, it’s likely nobody is paying attention to what you’re reading, watching, wearing, or listening to anyway. And secondly, in my experience, intelligent people are much more likely to understand that taste is subjective, fluid, and incoherent. Anyone who thinks the fact that you enjoy watching Married at First Sight or reading A Court of Thorns and Roses means you have ‘bad’ taste is likely very dumb indeed, and you shouldn’t worry about what they think of you.

Dazed’s culture editor Halima Jibril is a prime example of how dynamic taste can be. While she regularly reads the work of James Baldwin, Andrea Dworkin and bell hooks, she’s also a fan of Taylor Swift and cites evermore and folkmore as two of her favourite albums. “Those albums got me through a really tough time during Covid. I wrote my whole undergraduate dissertation while listening to them. Nobody can take that away from me,” she says. “I don’t really care if it’s seen as uncool. All that stuff doesn’t matter. Her music makes me feel good. I like it. And that’s it.” This is a wonderfully simple ethos for anyone looking to hone their taste to keep in mind: if you like it? That’s it.