The tyranny of intellect (and class (and age))

[caladri]

I'm growing tired of the use of aesthetics to oppress and denigrate. In a class on Social Justice, Aesthetics and Mysticism this past January, I grew frustrated when we moved from idolizing and adoring all kinds of Latin American folk art to dismissing as kitsch and deriding as "bad art if art at all" Mormon depictions of Jesus. "Kitsch" seemed

Comments

[maida_mac]

I wear t-shirts and use accessories that are too kawaii by far for an adult in standard thinking. I do it totally unironically. I feel no reason why I should be pitiable because I have a thing for bunnies, adore glitter, and love cute things. Fuck 'em all, *I* like it.

[stolen_tea]

I recall that someone once pointed out to me that, while the Japanese aesthetic tends toward simplicity, the Chinese aesthetic is ALL ABOUT BLING. More gold, more red, more ornate, lather rinse repeat.

Which prompted some reflection on which cultures we choose to identify as "superior", which cultures we tend to erase when they don't meet our preconceived notions, and how some of our valued cultural properties have ramifications that we've been ignoring.

(This comment brought to you by today's visit to the Portland Chinese garden, and yesterday's visit to the Portland Japanese garden.)