How we can make life BEAUTIFUL now, this week (part 5)
I want to learn more and more to see as beautiful what is necessary in things; then I shall be one of those who make things beautiful.
I want to learn more and more to see as beautiful what is necessary in things; then I shall be one of those who make things beautiful.
Friedrich Nietzsche, Joyful Knowledge
To the best of my knowledge, Nietzsche is the only philosopher who developed a complete system for understanding life and specifically how to improve it in the here and now; if you know of any other philosophers who came close to this, please let me know in the comments below.
What we should learn from Artists: How can we make things beautiful, attractive, and desirable for us, when they are not?
Friedrich Nietzsche, Joyful Knowledge
Previous discussions on Beauty:
Part1 (linked here and below): “Architecture and Public Space Planning: Physical Inaudible Language that Informs Us of What We Can Do, How We Can Live, and What Values to Esteem. Our values, lifestyle, and our personal health outcomes are significantly shaped by the buildings and public spaces that surround us. Beautiful public buildings demonstrate and foster mutual respect between government and public. Ugly public buildings demonstrate and foster indifference/disrespect between government and public.Open and inviting public spaces encourage relaxation, socialization, work-leisure balance, exercise and health. Lack of public spaces communicates that people should either work (utility-production) or go home (isolation) or go shopping (commodification = turning people into production-consumption units). Beautiful architecture and craftsmanship honors talent, discipline, apprenticeship, tradition, intergenerational learning and personal mentoring (yes, think about it), respect and cooperation between social strata. ...
Part2 (linked here and below): “Public beauty is necessary for physical, mental, and social health and is indicative/suggestive of an advanced and sustainable society; beauty is not necessary for consumerism, wealth, or technology. Beauty sustains and inspires us; ugliness and “lack of place” leaves us feeling lost and as if we ourselves are expendable, disposable. Beauty is necessary for an advanced society. Calling expense and dependence “freedom” and “independence” is great marketing.
Part3 (linked here and below): “Much can be understood about a society’s past, present, and future simply from observing the architecture and infrastructure that the society creates and maintains—or fails to create and maintain. Nietzsche wrote in his Zarathustra that buildings reflected either the grandeur or smallness of a society. In particular, small doorways and low ceilings reflected a specific lowness or smallness of a society and its aspirations; the reverse of this is obvious in government capitol buildings, churches, and “richer” homes and universities/libraries—all of which are characterized by large doorways and elevated ceilings. I still hold the opinion that architecture determines the society at least as much as the society determines the architecture.
Part4 (linked here and below): “At a time when America clearly needs to revitalize its infrastructure and provide public works projects that can provide meaningful employment to millions of unemployed and underemployed Americans, why is this beautiful historic structure and representation of American industry being allowed to collapse into ruin?
For a few thousand dollars spent locally by local philanthropists and/or YOUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT*, your community could be much more beautiful, inviting, encouraging and inspiring.
*This could only occur if local and national governments would stop wasting money on worthless wars and drugs, as I discussed recently:
If your LOCAL GOVERNMENT spent a few thousand dollars on local outside art, you/they could turn dull areas into zones of beauty and inspiration, while also providing some cash to local artists to support local talent and investment
Be sure to see today’s earlier post on Intracellular infections with Chlamydia (Chlamydophila) pneumoniae, antibody response to measles vaccine in Autism, herpes virus in Alzheimer’s disease
How to Make an Attractive City
City beautification project transforms vacant lots into neighborhood green spaces
City Beautification
I want to learn more and more to see as beautiful what is necessary in things; then I shall be one of those who make things beautiful. Amor fati—the love of fate, and accepting life as it is: let that be my love henceforth! I do not want to wage war against what is ugly. I do not want to accuse; I do not even want to accuse those who accuse. Looking away shall be my only negation. And all in all and on the whole: some day I wish to be only a Yes-sayer. Friedrich Nietzsche, Joyful Knowledge / Gay Science
What we should learn from Artists: How can we make things beautiful, attractive, and desirable for us, when they are not? This is the skill we should learn from artists, while being wiser than they are, because artists limit their talent to art—their power usually ends where art ends and life begins; we, however, want to be the poets of our lives, and first of all in the smallest and most everyday matters. Friedrich Nietzsche, Joyful Knowledge
