Musical taste is, of course, entirely subjective. It's silly to pretend otherwise. Just the same, I won't pretend to like something I think sucks. I just don't pretend that my taste is inherently better than anyone else's. So I don't feel that everyone should get along. That's boring. But listening to another punk argue about how metal is "wanky", or another metalhead complain about how punk bands are "not talented" is pretty damned boring, too. The same old arguments over and over again.
I try not to stick up for any one genre since their definitions vary so greatly that there's really no point. If I tell someone I like folk or punk or industrial or whatever else, they're going to think of it in whatever context makes sense to them based on a million different cultural factors that are probably not even relevant to me, so what's the use? I figure the best I can do is say "hey, here's some music I do/don't like, and here's why." Then at least I've said my peace, and hopefully whatever got through to the other person was more than just "EMO SUCKS/RULES/IS AN EXCUSE TO WEAR STUPID LOOKING GLASSES THAT AREN'T PRESCRIBED TO YOU." I too am tired of that level of discourse (though it is fun sometimes, isn't it?). Love or hate whatever you want, but at least have some reasons at the ready, because someone is inevitably going to try to convince you to change your mind.
