The problem with opinions

A recent YouTube comment is worth reprinting.

"If you can't audition, watch as many reviews as you can. The reviewers will be your eyes and ears. Examine the comments sections to see what others may think. There are a whole bunch of audio reviews on YouTube to help you make better informed decisions on what to buy."

Good and reasonable advice except for one thing. How do you match someone else's opinion with your own? This is a classic problem and one of the reasons I never pay attention to Yelp or movie reviews. What's the likelihood our tastes match each other? I am a vegetarian who does not like most fast food and rarely the fair that comes out of commercial kitchens. How does the opinion of someone with unknown tastes bear any relevance to me? I love rich, detailed, full-bodied stereo systems. How does the opinion of someone who prefers lean, over-etched, emasculated bass matter to me? People like us prefer the same sorts of things. The problem is, how do we align our tastes to each other? This issue is likely why we hang out with like-minded people, read the same sorts of information, visit the same places, watch the same movies, and buy similar stereo equipment. The influencers in our lives are important hand selected assets even if we use them to know what not to buy. Opinions matter only if you know where they come from.