I may be the odd man out with this opinion, but I don’t like to choose favorites. I’m explaining why I feel that way so even if you don’t agree with me, at least you can understand my reasoning. Let’s start with the definition.

favorite, n.
1a: One that enjoys special favor or regard.
1b: One that is trusted, indulged, or preferred above all others, especially by a superior: a favorite of the monarch.
2: A contestant or competitor regarded as most likely to win.

What I don’t like is the “preferred above all others” part. If I say something is my favorite, I’m saying I like it above everything else, and that’s rarely the case. I like lots of things depending on the context.

For example, if someone asks me what my favorite car is, my answer is it depends. Favorite car for what? If I’m racing then I would prefer a sports car, but if I’m going off road I want a totally different car (or truck even, but that’s not the point).

Another example choosing a favorite color. I like variety. If everything were one color, I would get tired of it, so I like things to be different colors.

Favorite ice cream? It depends. If I feel like something sweet, chocolate chip cookie dough or cookies and cream sounds good. Other times I like plain old vanilla ice cream, or orange sherbet (which probably wouldn’t even be classified as ice cream, but again, that’s not the point).

What I’m really saying is that I don’t prefer one car, or one color or one ice cream flavor above all others. Saying something is my favorite is far too absolute.