The Missed Point

Why are these competitive aesthetic games so important to us. At the custom bike show, bike customisers walk around, looking at the creations on show, judging some over the top, some beautiful. At the nightclub, girls are dressed up in a competition not just to attract men but with each other, some get it wrong and look like slags, other girls get it just right. Some men get a good set of tattoos, some look wrong. At the woodcraft furniture show some get it wrong and initiates walk by, sniggering, cementing their place in some obscure hierarchy. South sea islanders find the best shell they can. There are rules in all these avenues of creative endeavour. They all have rules. Participants can tell instantly which examples are good and which tacky. Why does this matter? Why should aesthetics, within a group be so important. Arguably as important as being strong or being clever. Being the best aesthetically is very important. To give a Darwinian reason, and usually it comes down to being a safe breeding partner, what could it be? Could it have to do with the slow and fast thinking systems from Daniel Kahnemans THinking, fast and Slow. Could it be that aesthetic judgements are supremely fast. Far faster than slow thinking used by brainy people. A good artist or a natural in aesthetic judgement may select the best option when a tiger attacks. My select the best line to drive in a high speed accident. It is said that aesthetics play a large part in scientific theory. Einstein was known to have faith in the most beautiful theories. Perhaps no amount of training and study can give that extra nudge the person in tune with pattern. Of course the scientist who works hard will do well as will the footballer who trains a lot. But amongst good scientists and amongst good footballers perhaps it is the few who disregard the training in favour of the beautiful pattern who are great.