You just have to try a good cup of black coffee. Once you do, you'll understand. A good one will actually be dark but sweet. Some will even have an ever so slight "fruity" taste on the tip of your tongue that follows it depending on the roast. A quality cup will have an extremely complex taste that's very hard to quantify, but when you taste it, you'll understand.
Your average cup is usually bitter due to the grind being too fine or it being brewed for too long. The type of grinder also plays a big role as the common blade grinder generates a lot of heat and burns the beans as they're being ground. A conical burr grinder is the way to go. These give a consistent grind and generate very little heat. TBH, I've probably burned through close to a couple racks just on beans alone in the search to find just the right roast and grind size for my equipment, but the outcome has been very well worth the effort.
Pre-ground is also bad. The hard shell of the bean is what keeps the taste and strength intact. As soon as it gets ground both attributes start to deteriorate in a matter of minutes. Keep coffee stored in a cool, dry, and dark place where the temperature is consistent and UV rays from the sun aren't beating on it. Don't store it in the refrigerator like a lot of people do as it your beans will start absorbing moistures from it.
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