Just the right amount of unpleasant
There's a pattern of things I predictably like—which I shall now call “just the right amount of unpleasant”. Some examples to follow.
Food and Beverage
- Fermented, funky stuff—kimchi, kombucha, certain cheeses and curd have just the right amount of “spoilt” sourness to them.
- Durian, with its pungency and shock to the senses makes the fruit taste all that much better somehow.
- Spicy food that hits the right amount of discomfort—a less-spicy vada pav won't hit the same as one that sets the tongue on fire.
- I like the general bitterness of (good) coffee and tea. I prefer to not add sugar to either beverage.
Music
- I like many indie artists such as The Microphones or Car Seat Headrest who hit the “wrong” notes while singing.
- I like harsh, industrial, noisy and gritty music in general (somehow couldn't get into metal, though).
Architecture
- I enjoy rustic, textured, rugged and rough architecture.
- I like the experience of walking through old, run-down lanes and public spaces (but perhaps not too run-down and dirty).
- I like the vibe of poorly lit or low-brow restaurants that serve fantastic food.
Art
- I often like surreal, disorienting and generally grimy art and media.
Possible explanation
I don't think I am unique here, even if my tolerance for the unpleasant in my pleasant is higher (or lower) than other people. But pleasantness cannot exist without some unpleasantness to ground it. Otherwise, we'd fall into a trap somewhat similar to that of a hedonic treadmill. Anything that is pleasant or privileged, ceases to be so in the absence of something unpleasant.
Clarification
This is a small subset of things I like. I like pleasant things also. I also dislike unpleasant things, rotten food, plain bitterness, construction noises etc. Just wanted to note the interesting pattern where a slight amount of unpleasantness can elevate the overall pleasantness of many things.