Why I don't like "Best Game Ever" or "Best Book Ever" etc...

[Saint]

Someone made a thread where they wonder aloud if Baldurs Gate 2 is the best RPG of all time.

I'd like to open a discussion on what it means to have a best game/move/book in one's opinion.

For my example, I'm just going to use books. This applies to video games and other various formats.

Best book ever? I'm not so sure that's a claim that can be made for any book, not even on a personal preference level. Let me know if you agree with this:

Say I've read lots of excellent books, call them X, Y, Z, etc...

Some days I feel book X had an incredible impact on my life and feelings at the moment. I really love and appreciate book X for the feelings and experiences it has given me. But I wouldn't call it the best ever, because...

Two weeks from when I feel that way, I am in a different mood, feeling a different way, and I reminisce on book Y. How I am feeling right now is so much like some experiences in book Y that I almost want to cry. I truly loved book Y and now I really understand what it means, as I am today exploring some of the emotional and philosophical concepts broached in book Y.

So, because different books mean different things to me at different times, I find it impossible to point to a "best" or "favorite" book/game/musical artist.

Does anyone else feel this way?

[ssrprotege]

Well, I believe that it's impossible to declare which one is inherently better than another because these "best stuff" things can fluctuate depending on one's perspective. But I think it's a human 'instinct' to compare anything to make evaluation out of it. Instead of not liking "the best book ever" or "best game ever" etc, we may have to accept that the fact that we are prone to do so is part of ourselves, and the "best book ever" will not always remain "the best."