Best?

The study of music has led me to some unexpected life altering discoveries.
Being a musician, one of the most common questions people ask upon discovering my profession is, who is your favorite band? or, who is the best bass player in the world? I used to be able to give quick and easy answers to these questions, until around the year 1995 when I witnessed a live performance that altered my perception of the terms "best" and "favorite" altogether.
Going into this show I was convinced that there was only one person deserving of the title "best bassist", however, after the show I could no longer aptly apply the term "best" for either bassist. To deem one the best is to imply that there is a lesser. In this case it was impossible for me to attach any negativity towards either player due to the overwhelming amount of virtouosity and love exhibited by both musicians. This discovery created a ripple effect that forced me reexamine the nature of competition.