A Taste Education: Books That Rewire How You See
Taste isn't something you're born with. It's built through exposure, attention, and developing the confidence to have opinions. These books collectively rewired how I see design, culture, and what 'good' actually means. After reading them, you won't look at anything the same way.
1
Curation
The foundation. Bhaskar argues that in a world of infinite choice, curation IS the creative act. This book reframed my entire relationship with taste -- from passive preference to active practice.
2
Understanding a Photograph
Berger teaches you how to really look. Not glance, not scroll -- look. This collection of essays about photography is actually about developing the skill of paying attention. Fundamental.
3
Filterworld
The warning. Chayka shows what happens when algorithms replace taste -- everything flattens into sameness. Read this to understand why developing your own taste matters more than ever.
4
Status and Culture
The mechanics. Marx reveals how taste operates as a status system. Once you see the machinery behind cultural preferences, you can engage with it consciously rather than unconsciously.
5
The Art of Noticing
The practice. Walker's book is a field guide to paying attention -- exercises and provocations that sharpen your ability to notice what others miss. Taste starts with noticing.
6
Virgil Abloh: Figures of Speech
The application. Abloh's career is a masterclass in applied taste -- taking influences from everywhere and synthesising them into something new. This is what taste looks like when it's fully expressed.