The Banishment of Beauty from Everyday LifeWhat happens when a slapdash and uncaring aesthetic permeates everything?
Let me start with train tickets. Nothing could be more boring—nowadays they’re little more than a barcode or QR symbol. Sometime the entire ticket disappears, replaced by a phone app. I’m told that ticket sellers now hate actual tickets. Consider the case of Ross Barkan, who recently tried to get a physical ticket to an event. Ticketmaster told him it was impossible. Screw you, buddy—use the barcode on your phone. But check out these vintage Japanese train tickets. They convey a sense of wonder and enchantment. The train is no longer just a functional means of transportation, but instead takes on a magical quality. Even before you begin your journey, the ticket itself has captivated you. If you want to support my work, please take out a premium subscription (just $6 per month).This is more than just a matter of beauty—the ticket also conveys caring, in the Heideggerian sense. You have more trust in the train and the people operating it, merely beacuse of the care that went into the ticket. Japanese culture is full of these examples of care and aesthetic contemplation. But even a boring utilitarian society like the US once had glamorous tickets. Here’s what a circus ticket once looked like.
Not long ago, these small acts of beauty and care were pervasive in daily life. You could see them in luggage tags, stationery, clocks, lamp posts, even sewer covers.
Entire artistic movements operated outside of museums and galleries—what an amazing idea!—focused instead on transforming everyday aspects of our lives. Just consider the Art Noveau movement that came out of Belgium in the 1890s or the Art Deco movement that captivated Paris, circa 1910. Here are some Art Deco radios. Is there anything at Best Buy that looks half as good?
There isn’t a transistor or semiconductor in any of them, but they are still functional—and much more. Let’s visit some other everyday items from that era... Keep reading with a 7-day free trialSubscribe to The Honest Broker to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives. A subscription gets you:
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The Banishment of Beauty from Everyday Life
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