Week 3 - Aesthetics

We were told last week that this lesson is a very interesting topic to go about. So, when preparing for the class beforehand, I read through the online lecture and found some things that stood out to me the most. However, during and after the class, a lot of the information discussed had helped me broaden my thinking and mindset while also carrying out various researches to back up my ideas.

Pre Class

Some ideas stood out to me while reading the online lectures which reminded me of a research done in the past.

The fibonacci sequence in math has a beauty in its own based on how each number is the sum of the previous two numbers, which is seen as "decorative patterns" in the universe. I remember while carrying out some research into the different art movements that existed in the past and shaped the way Art currently exists, there was an art movement called the "Fibonacci Spiral" which is an "expression of an aesthetically pleasing principle – the Rule of Thirds" (Mitchell, 2015).

During Class

However, during class, a lot of the ideas discussed sparked an intriguing conversation influenced by a couple of beliefs. Some of these discussed ideas that stood out to me the most during class are as follows.

Beauty standards around the world are very different. From my knowledge, mono-lids in the East are considered to be unattractive by east Asians who are born with them. They usually go through plastic surgery to get an extra eyelid. However, in the West it is considered the opposite, especially by fans of East Asian culture. They may do the opposite by gluing their double eyelids to form one or undergoing a permanent surgery. Below is an example of a video that I researched after class (AS/LS, 2017).
Plastic surgery can be placed on a fine line between loss of identity, idolizing, or impersonating. An example was discussed in class about a guy who spent around $100,000 To Look Like A K-Pop Star - Jimin (truly, 2018). The video below explains his views on how he wanted to impersonate the life of a Kpop star because to him thats what a perfect man should look like (truly, 2018).
"So it has to do with one's perception of what is beauty?" - Amos from our class had made a statement, or rather, asked a question concerning how aesthetics are perceived differently by every individual. Furthermore, as the online lecture states “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”, it is true that “people will always want what they don’t have” (Naya from our class).
An interesting conversation sparked up in the comments section of the online class. (I copy/pasted it from the chat to be able to discuss it in my journal)

Alexandru Marin 11:10 AM

I think aesthetics in advertising can be also misleading... for example a food product, perhaps a lot of people don't know, but do showcase a beautiful burger (let's say), it involves a lot of photo shooting, and most of the elements used to make that burger look appetizing aren't even elements that we can actually eat.

A beautiful design can sometimes mislead from the reality of what that product might actually be.

Joshua Avi Marcini 11:12 AM

Thats where post structuralism comes into play -Truth is produced by power

Alexandru Marin 11:12 AM

yes, but it clashes with the aesthetics doesn't it? haha

Joshua Avi Marcini11:12 AM

indeed

I do agree with both sides because of the direction in which this idea is being interpreted and I do feel that aesthetic beauty can be misleading in many ways.

Post Class

Below are examples of the videos I researched to back up some of the ideas we discussed in class.

(AS/LS, 2017)

(truly, 2018)

Moreover, as a deadline is approaching this week, I will be carrying out research for the dialectical inquiry on the topic "Post-Structuralism in Fans and Fandoms in the field of music". For now, I have a rough idea on what I am planning to discuss but with research I am hoping to develop my ideas well.