Over the past few years, I’ve been gradually coming to terms with the fact that my tastes in media are resolutely middle-brow, at best (said epiphany being thanks in no small part to George Lucas and how often I’ve had to defend my continuing enjoyment of the Star Wars universe even after the Special Editions, the prequels, and now, of course, The Clone Wars). I now grok that I am not nearly as literary or snobby as I used to believe myself to be. I’m quite comfortable with the fact that I like pulp adventure novels more than “literature-with-a-capital-L,” and that ’80s pop-rock music moves me while jazz in all its hoity-toity incarnations leaves me cold. I can admire the paintings our culture deems “great,” but I’d rather hang a vintage pin-up or movie one-sheet on my wall. I prefer the feathered-hair-and-daggett version of Battlestar Galactica to the critically acclaimed but angsty remake. You get the idea.

Even so, I’ve often felt the need to describe the things I really love as “guilty pleasures.” To make myself look like less of a dork, I suppose. SamuraiFrog argues that I shouldn’t do that anymore:

I’ve never liked the phrase “guilty pleasure.” Why should you feel guilty about getting pleasure out of something? Look, I’m not, repeat, not saying this is true of everyone who uses the phrase, but I’m talking about the origin of the phrase “guilty pleasure.” It just comes from this snobbish, elitist place that I don’t like. The idea that you have to feel guilty if you like Keanu Reeves movies or Stephen King novels or something. Something that you’re afraid will reflect badly on you. Because, as I’ve said before, some people seem to think life is only about proving that you’re a little smarter than the next person.

 

“Guilty pleasure” is an apology. I’m sorry I like something universally considered stupid. I don’t want you to believe that I can only read at a sixth grade level and that’s why I like Stephen King. It’s a way of revealing that you care what other people think about your tastes.
…
Molesting children and buying blood diamonds are guilty pleasures. Liking Stephen King novels is just liking Stephen King novels.

You have to admit, the man has a point…