I have a lot of food discussions at work, and preferences are a regular topic.

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned that I preferred Romanian-style cabbage rolls to the Ukrainian version.

Though typically a benign comment, it didn’t go over well.

For context: I work with a ton of Ukrainians — many of whom have moved to Canada in the last year or two. They take great pride in their culture. One lovely woman actually made me some cabbage rolls to prove that they are good. And they were absolutely delicious.

The thing is, I already knew that. I love Ukrainian food. Their cabbage rolls are delicious.

I didn’t say anything about dislike, only that I had a preference.

Since then I’ve been thinking about this phenomenon in other areas. And it’s prolific.

Sure, some people take hard stances on certain subjects. But in general, preference isn’t the same as antipathy.

“I’m a Chevy guy” doesn’t necessarily translate to “All other car manufacturers are shit.”

Belief in one religion doesn’t mean hatred of the others. Nor does support for a political party mean dislike of the rest.

Apple and Andriod.
Adidas and Nike.
Fiction and Non-Fiction.
X-Box and PlayStation.

And this might be even more controversial than the cabbage roll debate, but you can be a fan of both Star Wars and Lord of the Rings — or, and this pains me to say: neither.

I’ve enjoyed every cabbage roll that I’ve ever had.

It just happens that I prefer the ones from _______.