I couldn't agree more. And now, while I think salads are delicious, I also think that Indian food, jambalaya, and fried chicken are equally delicious. My point wasn't that salads aren't delicious, but rather that they can get monotonous, and at some point, you do crave something that's unhealthy. And the reality is, you have to give in, otherwise you'll go stir crazy.
Re: water vs. soda, while everyone loves water, I prefer having something flavored to drink. Not all the time, but at least half the time, I prefer that my hydration is through something that's not water.
And actually, I have a preference for certain types of candy, and certain types of chips (and yes, Doritos). What can I say?
And I will say that after a good evening's rock climbing, my favorite thing to do is hit the local bar and get a coupe of large beers. It may be bitter, but I certainly love the way it tastes. And don't even get me started on gin and tonic.
But to your point, a lot of these things, including beer, could very well be cultural conditioning.
However, I think there's a difference between realizing that something unhealthy you enjoy is good in moderation versus rejecting it entirely. I eat a lot of things that are of questionable nutritional value -- I just don't make them my primary source of sustenance, and I certainly don't spit them up.
My personal philosophy is what I call IIFYM -- if it fits your macros. As long as the food I eat meets my macro nutritional requirements, I am happy (i.e. within my caloric limit, ideal ratio of protein:fat:carbs, not overtly rich in sodium etc). That means sometimes, I eat a pizza for breakfast and lunch, and dinner is greens and a protein shake. Other times, it means, I go out drinking with my buddies and fill up on beer and bar food, and make sure that the rest of my week is pretty good. I find that it's a lot more sustainable in the long run.