Love it OR Hate it.

Great comments that I want to adapt and include in this revision.

Andrew mentions in order to be a Root Beer item you must…
“1) Give off such a strong first impression that people are so turned off as to not give it a chance to prove itself.
OR
2) Be so insignificant, that people don't care enough to give it a second chance.”

I never meant to say that the feelings about a root beer item could never change after the first encounter. I think this feeling arises from this line in the first post in regards to the characteristics of root beer. I said it… “doesn’t sit back and allow you the opportunity to take a few sips to decide if you like it”. In saying this I was attempting to stress the idea that the bold and distinct characteristics provide a “decide now” situation. This strong initial impression is usually an outcome of the bold and distinctiveness of an item. Particularly it’s boldness. The definitions that I come across say bold is “standing out prominently”. In other words, distinct qualities in combination with boldness, quickly exposes character that is uniquely identifying. This means the distinct character of an item is easily noticed because of its boldness.

However, although it does stand out initially that does not weigh into the ability of feelings and judgments to be altered as the distinct flavor is further revealed and experienced over time. An item can still be root beer if in the beginning it you hate it and after understanding and participating with it, you love it. You just can’t be indifferent about it.

To use the previous examples. I have heard a hundred times that you have to see Napoleon Dynamite twice to love it. Because the feeling could change after the second viewing does not put its qualification as a Root Beer Item into question, it only strengthens it. That movie doesn’t give you an option to be indifferent because it is so distinct in its character (humor/style/acting). Even the second time you watch it, in the end, you have a very polarized opinion about the movie.

The interesting next step for me, is to understand what leads you to love or hate a Root Beer Item. I would suggest that the determining factor is what that item does for you. This may sound like a John Madden comment (stating the obvious) but I think this allows us to understand people and their interactions with Root Beer like items.

1: Consider great athletes and the people they represent. I will use Tyler Hansbrough as an example. UNC fanatics love him! Many others in this world hate him! He is a great basketball player that played for the 2009 National Champions. For those who call themselves Tar Heels, Tyler is a gentleman and a scholar who never gets any calls to go his way. To those against UNC he is consider a flopper, who has no skill and only gets lucky because “the refs want UNC to win.”
Bold and Distinct: He is one of the best players for UNC; that alone makes him uniquely identifiable.

The reason UNC fans love him and embrace his bold distinct qualities is because his success betters their name as a Carolina fan. The reason others hate him and reject him as a Carolina player is because his characteristics and success make their team look worse.

2: Root Beer itself. People who love it have a desire for a dark rich flavor; A thirst that is quenched by the beverage. It gives their taste buds satisfaction. It fulfils something for the drinker.

3: Napoleon Dynamite. People who love it, think being able to quote the movie makes them funnier and that people will like them more.

4: Bully Jock / Prom Queen. These people are usually bold, distinctive and polarizing in their character. Agreed? If you are one of the chosen ones to be in the bully’s leather jacket wearing club you love that guy because he gives you social status and power. If you are one of the pretty skinny bitches that ride on the side of the Gucci bag hanging on the prom queen’s shoulder you are infatuated with her because she makes you one of the “it girls”. But all those other people who are pushed down and pushed around by those Root Beer type leaders talk about how they are so mean and about how they hate them.

Okay. See this. Root Beer items could move from love to hate in your life but which way you swing depends on what those items give you. These items just don’t give you the opportunity to be indifferent.