The Aesthetic of Contemporary Society

[TARozzelle]

I am curious as to everyone else's opinions on the aesthetic of the modern world, namely whether or not our world, in this new millennium, maintains some specific form, or ideal, of beauty in form. Certainly, I would claim that we hold close the concept functional beauty: Many of our gadgets to 'everything' and do it well. However, it worries me that our culture has lost some concept of 'class' or 'deep beauty' in the aesthetics of the last forty years.

For example, consider the items or buildings to have come out of the Art Nouveau movement; they are adorned and embellished. They look beautiful and feel solid. Compare this to your standard laptop, which is merely a plastic box with a glossy screen. It feels cheap and is easily broken. It is disposable and replaceable, and perhaps that is where we find the source of my consternation. Could it be that our craftsmanship is rooted in how easily replaced an object is as opposed to the reverence that should be due to an object?

[Dianna]

Ever heard the phrase "They don't make em like they used to"?

I think that applies for just about everything now from buildings to autos and everything in between.