Anyone else weirded out by people who...?

Are they seriously staring the wrong way while this killer sunset is happening?
Or maybe you guys are just part of that whole anti-sentimental crowd? 😁

Do things actually have beauty built into them, or is it just us humans projecting all that aesthetic stuff onto everything we see?
The weather is absolutely gorgeous today, and honestly, it’s such a huge win that my kid isn't freaking out about heading back to school. 👋

I find myself staring at this in sheer bewilderment... truly, I am at a loss... I keep trying to wrap my head around how any of this actually connects to spirituality, but the more I look, the less sense it makes. I remain utterly confounded.

Jeffrey Brown6 said:Is beauty an inherent quality of certain things, or is it just something we humans project onto the world?

We’re looking at the core dilemma of aesthetics here—which is why this belongs in a philosophy discussion rather than somewhere else.

What do the mods and the rest of you folks think?

(Personally, I'm a firm believer that all beauty and ugliness is just "in the eye of the beholder.")

I honestly believe that if this "spirituality" you all talk about actually exists, it should allow you to grasp something real through our relationship with nature.

Just ask the livestock and they’ll teach you everything you need to know (Job)

Seriously, animals have more sense than people who are too blinded by spiritual colors to see reality. If they could actually philosophize...
I’m officially proposing we move this entire spirituality subforum over to Philosophy. What do you guys think?

😛

Thomas Ramirez2 said:Honestly, it’s like they’re smarter than people who can't even see a rainbow... just goes to show... I was just thinking about how much weight we put on certain ideas... you know? Sometimes it feels like we’re just circling the same drain, trying to find some profound truth in things that might just be empty shells. I mean, looking back at everything we discussed earlier... it really makes you wonder if we're actually getting anywhere or if we're just talking to hear ourselves speak... maybe even just avoiding the harder questions... anyway, just some thoughts drifting through my head today.They really went and did it... just completely tore it all apart...

If I had actually told you that you were just selling me hot air... you would have been pretty offended, wouldn't you... 🙂

crimsonjackal8 said:Look, this hits at the absolute core of aesthetics, which is why we really ought to be discussing this over in the philosophy sub.

So, what’s the word from the mods and the rest of the peanut gallery?

(Personally, I'm a firm believer that all beauty and ugliness is just "in the eye of the beholder")

Wait, so you're telling me spirituality and philosophy are totally separate things!?
That would basically mean spirituality is for... well, people who can't handle thinking in a straight line, haha. 😁
But seriously, do you guys think everything really is just subjective?
Like, what could possibly be ugly about a gorgeous, golden sunset on a perfect July afternoon?
And on the flip side, what could anyone find beautiful about looking down into a literal septic tank full of trash and stench?

I mean, if everything is just relative...

I'm feeling, tee hee hee hee, RELATIVE!

Jeffrey Brown6 said:So spirituality and philosophy are actually two totally separate things?
If that's the case, then spirituality is just for --- and philosophy is for people who can't manage to think consistently. 😁

I might have a handle on what philosophy is, but I'm still a bit fuzzy on what spirituality actually entails. 😁 😛
The way I see it, I treat this spirituality subforum primarily as a space to talk about personal experiences. For instance, you could discuss what an encounter with beauty means to you personally, or where you find aesthetic value. Given how you phrased your question in that third sentence of your first post, you're actually dealing with a purely theoretical issue that falls under aesthetics.

Jeffrey Brown6 said:Do you guys really think everything is just in the eye of the beholder?
What could possibly be ugly about a sunset—or a sunrise, if you prefer—on a golden September afternoon?
And conversely, what could there be that's beautiful about looking at a septic tank full of waste and stench?
I mean, if everything is truly relative.

This is honestly one of the most blatant symptoms of anthropocentrism I've ever run into. Hats off to you. 🙏

As for the sunset, I doubt the local nocturnal predators are particularly thrilled by the view. 😁
As for the sewage, you should probably ask the flies. 🙄

I don't know if *everything* is relative, but when it comes to "beauty," I'm fairly certain there are answers if we keep the question broad. If the question is specifically what is beautiful "for humans," then we definitely can't just shrug and say "it's all relative." No one (most likely) is going to claim that sewage is beautiful—not because it's inherently "ugly" in some cosmic sense, but because we, as humans, are wired (whether through evolution or from God, take your pick) to find the smell of waste repulsive.

Jeffrey Brown6 said:So spirituality and philosophy are distinct, totally separate things?
Spirituality would then be for --- and philosophy for those incapable of consistent thought. 😁
Is everything truly in the eye of the beholder?
What could be ugly about a golden September sunset?
And what beauty can one find in looking at a septic tank full of filth and stench?

If everything is relative.

I feel, ha ha ha ha, RELATIVE!

Philosophy is for the man capable of grasping simple facts like this...
that to admire the beauty of a golden September sunset created within his own eye, he must simultaneously discharge his own internal waste and stench into a septic tank...

while the relativity of one person's beauty versus another's becomes crystal clear when, after days of constipation, he realizes the "beauty" of the septic tank compared to a sunset that feels just as toxic and foul as the stench held within his own gut...

and one becomes spiritual only when they manage to love both as one and the same.😁

N'Dour said:Are they really looking away from such a stunning sunset?
Or perhaps you fall into that category of people who just aren't moved by sentimentality? 😁

Is beauty an inherent quality of certain things, or is it simply our own perception that lends them such grace?
The weather is absolutely gorgeous today, and there’s nothing quite as rewarding as seeing a child head off to school without a hint of fear. 👋

It reminds me of something Oscar Wilde once wrote: "People are strange. They applaud a firework display but remain indifferent to a sunset."