I dunno, I got into LP just before and during college, and kinda liked them. Wouldn't call them a favorite band or anything, and I never really listened to other similar music, but I liked them. Yea, they're whiny, but I can deal with that.
I tried listening to Fort Minor - The Rising Tied, and it just made me want to listen to LP instead. After a few listens though, I kinda grew to like it.
But yea, nu metal, or whatever genre you want to call LP, is something I don't get into. I generally like my music to be more metal than that (and pissed off, instead of whiny). But I like LP for some reason.