A tire company invented our understanding of global fine dining. One man changed the wine industry for good. But when you’re going to try a really nice new restaurant, who do you go to for a review? When you’re at the wine shop, do you know what’s behind the rating behind the bottle?
In this episode of “Hold That Thought,” we talk about the world of ratings, rankings, the score, the star. We unpack who we trust with taste, why they became trusted in the first place and explore what happens when the rubric no longer tracks reality but instead influences the very things they were designed to test.
We’re in the middle of a series called Reality, By Agreement where we’re examining the things that feel like facts and tracking back to the moment they became true only because enough people agreed to them.
Topics: Ratings, Michelin Guide, Psychology, Human Behavior, Taste, 100-point wine scale, Culture, Taste-Making, Community
Sources:
The hard work of having good taste
How to Cultivate Taste in the Age of Algorithms
How Reviews and Ratings Affect Clients' Buying Decisions
Diner Recommendations Outside the Michelin Guide
What does a tire company know about food?
Malcolm Gladwell’s Revisionist History Investigates Columbia University College Rankings Scandal
