Everyday Aesthetics
Content
EVERYDAY AESTHETICS
◦ Aesthetics of objects, environments and situations from our everyday life.
◦ Reasons for interest in everyday aesthetics:
1) Western modern aesthetics is focused on fine arts ( aesthetics = philosophy of
art)
2) Western aesthetics is focused on the spectator’s experience
3) Working with IR students (future professional world-makers)
4) Professional or not we all participate in the world-making project as citizens and
consumers and everyday aesthetics plays an important role
◦ The power of everyday aesthetics: to form attitudes -> to guide toward actions -> to
determine the quality of life for better or worse
◦ “We are moved to act more often, more consistently, and more profoundly by the
experience of beauty in all of its forms then by intellectual arguments, abstract
appeals to duty or even by fear.” ( David Orr, The Nature of Design).
◦ Yuriko Saito’s thesis: We all participate in the world-making and seemingly
insignificant and trivial everyday aesthetic tastes and decisions can make a significant
contribution: it is important to cultivate aesthetic literacy and utilize the power of
aesthetics, toward better world-making.
EXAMPLES OF THE POWER OF EVERYDAY AESTHETICS
1) Environmental ramification of everyday aesthetics regarding nature, consumer
goods and built structure
◦ “Environmentalists continually face the political reality that support and
funding can be won for soft, cuddly and attractive animals, but not for slimy,
grubby and ugly creatures or for habitats” (Stephen Jay Gould, “The Golden
Rule”).
◦ “One-third of the farm’s fruits and vegetables have been discarded by the
farmer or the supermarket for aesthetic reasons.” (Harvey Blatt)
2) Political persuasion through landscape aesthetics
◦ “The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom” (Lucy Walker film, 2011), victims of the
tsunami derived consolation from the beauty of the cherry blossom
3) Respect for others ( both human and non-human) expressed aesthetically
◦ mostly Japanese culture examples: Japanese cooking ( each ingredients is
exhalted, giving a palette and the guest can play his own painting); Japanese
gardens
◦
◦ Aesthetics of objects, environments and situations from our everyday life.
◦ Reasons for interest in everyday aesthetics:
1) Western modern aesthetics is focused on fine arts ( aesthetics = philosophy of
art)
2) Western aesthetics is focused on the spectator’s experience
3) Working with IR students (future professional world-makers)
4) Professional or not we all participate in the world-making project as citizens and
consumers and everyday aesthetics plays an important role
◦ The power of everyday aesthetics: to form attitudes -> to guide toward actions -> to
determine the quality of life for better or worse
◦ “We are moved to act more often, more consistently, and more profoundly by the
experience of beauty in all of its forms then by intellectual arguments, abstract
appeals to duty or even by fear.” ( David Orr, The Nature of Design).
◦ Yuriko Saito’s thesis: We all participate in the world-making and seemingly
insignificant and trivial everyday aesthetic tastes and decisions can make a significant
contribution: it is important to cultivate aesthetic literacy and utilize the power of
aesthetics, toward better world-making.
EXAMPLES OF THE POWER OF EVERYDAY AESTHETICS
1) Environmental ramification of everyday aesthetics regarding nature, consumer
goods and built structure
◦ “Environmentalists continually face the political reality that support and
funding can be won for soft, cuddly and attractive animals, but not for slimy,
grubby and ugly creatures or for habitats” (Stephen Jay Gould, “The Golden
Rule”).
◦ “One-third of the farm’s fruits and vegetables have been discarded by the
farmer or the supermarket for aesthetic reasons.” (Harvey Blatt)
2) Political persuasion through landscape aesthetics
◦ “The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom” (Lucy Walker film, 2011), victims of the
tsunami derived consolation from the beauty of the cherry blossom
3) Respect for others ( both human and non-human) expressed aesthetically
◦ mostly Japanese culture examples: Japanese cooking ( each ingredients is
exhalted, giving a palette and the guest can play his own painting); Japanese
gardens
◦
