Variety is a common trait in humankind: it's something that's all around us, in the people we meet, and in the world as a whole. Different people have different opinions, different ideas, different pasts, different languages, different skin colors, different styles, and different tastes. Such variety is the results of millions of years of evolutionary modeling; variety is very important to the survival of any society or species. If the living world lacked variety, it would be unable to adapt to changing conditions, and small changes in things that affect many people, such as weather, could lead to very significant (and maybe dangerous) effects if they affected everyone in the same way. Fortunately, different people react differently to different situations. What may be a life-threatening problem to one person, is a minor annoyance to another. It is this dampening effect of variety that helps humankind to survive in a constantly changing world. Most psychologists and sociologists agree that a person¹s traits, including their aesthetic tastes, are largely dependent upon the culture in which that person is raised. This is why different cultures can have very different styles of art, and why people from different cultures often enjoy different types of art. If a person grows up seeing and enjoying a particular type of art, then their tastes and expectations are molded to fit that style. This effect is exemplified in the art of various cultures and time periods. The fine, minimalist style of Japanese art, for example, has always been very different from western art. Additionally, the artistic styles of western art have changed and evolved ever since western society has existed. Different artistic tastes also exist on an intercultural level. For example, many people greatly admire the art of classical painters, while others enjoy more modern art. Some people prefer art which has a meaning or a message, while others enjoy art purely for its aesthetic merits. All of these differences are manifestations of the innate variety of the human race, and are an important part of our nature.

[ top ]
[ return to normal version ]