Why is it so hard for Holden to find something that he genuinely likes?

Holden hates anything that is fake. If people pretend to be some one they aren't, he won't want anything to do with them, but he is surrounded by phonies. Stradlater, Maurice, and Sally all are pretending to be something they aren't. Holden can think of two people he actually likes and both of them are dead. One he barely knew, but he realized that he was brave in the sort amount of time he got to know him. The other was Allie, Holden's brother, who died of leukemia. Of all the people he has met, Holden could only think of two he genuinely liked because everyone else pretended to be someone they weren't. Holden can't even pretend to like someone who can't be themselves.