Appreciating beauty.

[MF42 0]

Today I saw the sky arrange itself into an exceptionally beautiful display of clouds, colors, and light. I pointed it out to two coworkers who I don't know very well. The first one laughed and asked if I was flirting with him, then went inside without even glancing upward. The second man looked startled and made some joke about it not being a good idea to be high at work. He at least looked up, but only for a second.

It occurs to me that those two responses neatly sum up a depressingly common attitude toward the appreciation of beauty. The casually accepted view seems to be: if a man admits to being moved by something not related to women, beer or sports, then he must be either gay or on drugs. Possibly both.

This saddens me.

Put aside any question of whether it's wrong to be gay or high; that's not the point. My point is I am neither.

We are constantly surrounded by and immersed in beauty. It seems to me that you'd have to deliberately ignore it in order to not see it. Why, then, is it so unusual for a sober, straight man to talk about it?

Somebody explain it to me. Please.

Matt

[waltappel 1]

IMO we live in a culture that is much more oriented toward seeing and exposing ugliness and flaws than seeing beauty. It's a real shame.

Walt

[Plucky 0]

So where's the photo? At least some of us would appreciate it, making you feel more at peace with the human race
.. or would carrying a camera around with you 'in case there's a beautiful sunset' be too gay?

- Citizen of the World -

[Icon134 0]

I can't explain it too you... but I'm right there with you man...

you've seen the cottage sunset photos that I've taken. I remember a few years back when I mentioned that we didn't have a tv up at the cottage but that it didn't matter because there was always an awesome light show... 9 times out of 10 I hear crickets chirping...

just last night I noticed the clouds in front of the moon and how neat looking it was... but... all too often I find that its necessary to keep that kind of stuff to myself... cause people just don't care...

Livin' on the Edge... sleeping with my rigger's wife...

[lisamariewillbe 1]

Thats wow... a nice nice thread

Sudsy Fist: i don't think i'd ever say this
Sudsy Fist: but you're looking damn sudsydoable in this

[cocheese 0]

No human will appreciate the beauty of the sky like a skydiver. It is a gift earned through flight that can't be taken away. Geeze I sound high.

[lisamariewillbe 1]

I love you cheesecake but I disagree before I was a skydiver the sky was more magical because I wasnt a part of it. It was unknown, unattainable, out of reach, it was more important to see the sky before I jumped because I knew I needed the blue and white, I just didnt know why ...

then I jumped and become best friends and worst enemys with the sky.

Now it holds something different, something romantic yet sinister. Like a secret crush, or something thats completley between me and the sky... I know the skys secrets now yet thats just not enough.

DAMMIT I NEED TO JUMP ... Im going way more annoying then normal

Sudsy Fist: i don't think i'd ever say this
Sudsy Fist: but you're looking damn sudsydoable in this

[MF42 0]

Quote

So where's the photo? At least some of us would appreciate it, making you feel more at peace with the human race
.. or would carrying a camera around with you 'in case there's a beautiful sunset' be too gay?

That's a good idea. Now that digital cameras have advanced to the point that a fairly small and inexpensive camera can take acceptably high resolution photos, I should probably get one.

But dammit, even one of the cheap models costs at least one AFF jump!

Matt

[kelel01 1]

I once called a friend and told her to look outside at the clouds. I think I'm in a permanently high state of mind.

[NewGuy2005 53]

Quote

IMO we live in a culture that is much more oriented toward seeing and exposing ugliness and flaws than seeing beauty. It's a real shame.

Walt

I think you're right, Walt.

[bes 0]

Yeah just go watch the news. Thats what we people want to see and unfortunately what we mostly do.

[Rebecca 0]

I'm a moongazer and for the life of me, I'll never know why absolutely everyone isn't. I call people to gush over a harvest moon or even just a perfect crescent...

I feel so very sorry for people who can look at the world around them without wonder, but with increasing levels of apathy - I just don't think they could possibly be happy on the inside.

you've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel loquacious?' -- well do you, punk?

[lisamariewillbe 1]

Im a stars person.... I get sad half the nights of the week because the city lights of Austin or some other weird excuse makes the sky less decorated or less visable. I dont like when I can count the stars... I want it to be infinate

Sudsy Fist: i don't think i'd ever say this
Sudsy Fist: but you're looking damn sudsydoable in this

[MF42 0]

I'm with ya on the moongazing.
I'm currently living in a smallish apartment that has more than it's share of annoying problems, to be honest. But what it does have is the most perfect panoramic view of Lake Michigan that a person could ask for. Most nights, there's not much to see out on the lake, but the moonrises more than make up for it. Sunrises too, when I'm getting home later than usual.

Matt