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True beauty is not
found in the exceptional but in the commonplace.
The quote implies that beauty can be measured and that there
is “true” beauty and beauty that is untrue. It also implies that those who ascribe beauty only to things
seen infrequently, are missing out on beauty in what surrounds us on a daily
basis. However, beauty, of the true or untrue kind, cannot be measured. Furthermore what is exceptional for one
person may be commonplace for another and vice versa. The author’s intent may be to persuade the reader to search
for aesthetic value in everyday surroundings but whether he or she will find beauty
cannot be predicted, as there is nothing in either the exceptional or the commonplace
with inherent beauty.
Beauty can be defined as a quality that is attractive and aesthetically
pleasing to the eye. Our eyes
respond to many stimuli including light, color, form, and movement. A colorful sunset, fireworks, a rushing waterfall,
or an orchid are examples of items considered by many to be beautiful. But it is not hard to imagine circumstances
where someone could feel blasé upon seeing these, or even find items such as
these displeasing to the eye. The
reason may have something to do with familiarity (once you’ve seen a beautiful
sunset you’ve seen them all), but it has much more to do with upbringing,
learning, and experience. Parents point out what they think is beautiful to
their children, just as they point out what they find unattractive. Fortunately, it’s generally agreed upon
that beauty and attractiveness is a matter of opinion and if a person wants to
expound on the splendor of the mundane and ordinary he or she is certain to
find others with similar tastes.
True beauty as such does not exist. Each person has a unique perception of
what constitutes beauty. People
find a wide variety of things pleasing to look at; some of them find beauty in
their everyday surroundings and others only rarely. An oft-repeated quote which
accurately describes our attitude in this respect is “Beauty is in the eye of
the beholder.”
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