In the Eye of the Beholder

my philosophy of education class ended up on a semi-random discussion on the nature of beauty and the study of aesthetics. our professor pointed out that in the political realm nothing is ever considered beautiful anymore because if you there isn't really a uniformed standard of what beauty is; everyone's perception of beauty is different.

i don't disagree that everyone has a different idea of what is beautiful, but i don't believe that is a reason to stop discussion of it. if anything, that's more of a reason to discuss what you find beautiful. think about it - isn't it a great feeling when you find someone who sees beauty in similar things as you? and i don't just mean beauty in terms of visuals - a sunset, the sky, a mountain range, a flower. what about finding beauty in sitting over a bowl of ice cream long after it has been finished but being lost in conversation, or holding hands, or staying in bed till noon on a rainy weekend morning?

i personally understand that not everyone is going to find the same things beautiful that i find beautiful. i accept that and i think it's pretty dang cool that different people can have different appreciations for things, as long as you keep a level of respect for others. but i think it's pretty neat when you find someone who values similar beautiful things. its nice to have someone to understand and share with.