NBA Powerless Rankings: 5 lessons we didn’t learn in the regular season

2. Other people can like different things

And if you’re going to realize you just like things and the things you like get special treatment from you because you’re you, the next step is to realize that someone else is going to give the things they like special treatment because they’re them.

Someone else is going to say something unreasonable at some point. It’s actually going to happen a whole lot, and sometimes by people you think should know better. Their unreasonable thing can probably be corrected, and you can probably do it nicely if you try hard enough. To you, it might be considered a harmless comment.

To that other person, it may instead be seen as an attack. That might be unfair, and in return you might feel that they’re the one attacking you. Now you’re both on the defensive. Now the things you’re saying to each other escalate. Nothing is gained, and both parties will return to the circles in which they feel most comfortable so that the people there can assure them they were in the right.

Preferences aren’t rational, and you can’t rationalize someone out of a place they didn’t rationalize themselves into. It’s not rational to attempt to.

Sports fandom is a place of differing opinions and allegiances. Competition splits interests. A league splits those interests further. If there is one ultimate guiding good in a given situation, you’re not going to find consensus by polling fans.

Good. It’s better that way. It’s not a fault, it’s a personal honesty. You’re a dick if you get in the way.