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.
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Most psychologists and sociologists agree that a person's
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.
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Chrysanthemums - by Sakai Hoitsu (1761-1828)
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