Ryan,

You have completely misunderstood where this particular disgust comes from. I am not reacting to to imagined toads coming out of MY back at all. I believe this particular brand of disgust comes from how closely this resembles rotted flesh, images of parasites, worm-eaten wood, insect infestations and hive imagery, all of which have a visceral effect.

There is something to be said for disgust of this type, as it might keep someone away from similar things in real life, and thus prevent the spread of infection and disease. That being said, you're right about disgust (or any strong emotion) keeping one from making good (by which I'm guessing you mean rational) judgments and decisions. Sometimes your autonomous nervous system is specifically designed to override your rational mind, and that's not always a bad thing.

As a lover of music, I had to stop reading Liz's blog. To see her so completely misunderstand what makes a great album great was teeth-grindingly difficult for me.

I lived with some of these albums the way one lives with a friend, or a lover, or a sibling, or a pet. To watch someone so aesthetically shallow (R.E.M.'s "Murmur" is something to do yoga to, or take a bubble bath?) engage with them is akin to seeing your ex out with a pimp. "No baby, you're better than this. They don't understand you."