Dalton + MichaelWhat is "good taste"?
good taste means high standards, humility, and user value creation.
In this episode of Dalton + Michael, What is "good taste"? explores good taste means high standards, humility, and user value creation Dalton frames taste as a strong internal barometer for what’s good, including an ethical dimension of not producing work you believe is harmful or bad.
At a glance
WHAT IT’S REALLY ABOUT
Good taste means high standards, humility, and user value creation
- Dalton frames taste as a strong internal barometer for what’s good, including an ethical dimension of not producing work you believe is harmful or bad.
- Michael distinguishes between an artistic notion of taste and a business/economic notion centered on positive-sum value generation for users.
- They argue that loudly claiming to have good taste is often evidence of the opposite, while true taste shows up in standards and restraint.
- Good taste is recognized in people who care deeply about what they release, would proudly attach their name to it, and ensure users get real value.
- They note that work can be meaningful as “art” even without user value, but businesses ultimately must create value for users to succeed.
IDEAS WORTH REMEMBERING
5 ideasGood taste is more than aesthetics—it’s an honest quality compass.
They define taste as the ability to evaluate work truthfully and avoid making things you “know in your heart are bad,” including work that harms or fails to help others.
In business, taste is inseparable from user value.
Michael emphasizes that beyond artistic preferences, a practical definition of taste asks whether what you’re doing is positive-sum and delivers value to the user.
Self-proclaimed “great taste” is a red flag.
They suggest that people who insist on their own taste often reveal insecurity or shallowness, whereas real taste tends to be demonstrated rather than advertised.
High standards are the clearest signal of good taste.
They point to creators who deeply care about what they release, maintain strong quality thresholds, and don’t ship work they wouldn’t be proud to sign.
Standing by your work isn’t enough if users get no value.
They draw a boundary between art (which can be self-justified) and business, where the ultimate test is whether the user actually benefits.
WORDS WORTH SAVING
5 quotesTaste just means having a strong barometer, having a strong compass of what is good and what is not good.
— Dalton
Anyone that insists what good taste they have… that’s how you spot the people that don’t have good taste.
— Dalton
To recognize great taste in other people… it’s people that have high standards.
— Dalton
If you stand by the work but you don’t care whether the user gets value, that’s art.
— Michael
At the end of the day, value has to be created to the user.
— Michael
QUESTIONS ANSWERED IN THIS EPISODE
5 questionsDalton, how do you distinguish “bad taste” from simply experimenting and failing while learning?
Dalton frames taste as a strong internal barometer for what’s good, including an ethical dimension of not producing work you believe is harmful or bad.
Michael, what are concrete signals that something is truly “positive-sum” for users rather than just feeling good to build?
Michael distinguishes between an artistic notion of taste and a business/economic notion centered on positive-sum value generation for users.
Where do you draw the line between aesthetic taste (e.g., UI choices) and deeper product taste (value, ethics, usefulness)?
They argue that loudly claiming to have good taste is often evidence of the opposite, while true taste shows up in standards and restraint.
Can a business legitimately prioritize artistic expression over user value—at what point does it stop being a business in your view?
Good taste is recognized in people who care deeply about what they release, would proudly attach their name to it, and ensure users get real value.
What practices help teams maintain high standards without becoming perfectionist and never shipping?
They note that work can be meaningful as “art” even without user value, but businesses ultimately must create value for users to succeed.
Chapter Breakdown
Taste as a moral/value compass (not shipping what you know is bad)
Dalton frames “taste” less as an aesthetic trait and more as an internal barometer for what’s good versus harmful. Good taste means refusing to create or enable things you believe are bad or hurt people.
Two meanings of taste: artistic sensibility vs. value generation
Michael distinguishes between an artistic definition of taste and a pragmatic one tied to value creation. He emphasizes a “positive-sum” framing: whether what you’re doing genuinely benefits others.
Who gets to have taste? Everyone can evaluate honestly
They challenge the idea that taste is an elite trait some people have and others don’t. Michael argues anyone can look honestly at something and assess whether it creates positive value.
The paradox: claiming great taste is a signal you may lack it
Dalton points out the irony that people who insist on their own great taste often reveal the opposite. They treat self-congratulation as a tell that standards may be performative rather than real.
Superficial “taste” cues vs. meaningful standards
They poke fun at reducing taste to surface-level UI choices like button placement or dark mode aesthetics. The suggestion is that these cues can distract from whether the work truly matters to users.
Recognizing great taste: high standards and pride in what ships
For Dalton, great taste is visible in people who maintain high standards and care deeply about what they release. They’re proud to put their name on it and stand behind it.
User value as the differentiator: art vs. business
Michael draws a line between standing by work regardless of user value (art) and building a business (where user value is essential). Both are valid, but the criteria for success differ.
Closing takeaway: taste equals creating real value for others
They converge on a pragmatic conclusion: for business-building, taste ultimately requires value creation for the user. The conversation reframes taste as integrity + standards + positive impact.
EVERY SPOKEN WORD
Install uListen for AI-powered chat & search across the full episode — Get Full Transcript
Get more out of YouTube videos.
High quality summaries for YouTube videos. Accurate transcripts to search & find moments. Powered by ChatGPT & Claude AI.
Add to Chrome