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I was thinking the same thing. You know, about 40% of what you can see each day is blue (except when it's cloudy). That doesn't seem rare to me. The only color

I was thinking the same thing. You know, about 40% of what you can see each day is blue (except when it's cloudy). That doesn't seem rare to me. The only color comparable is green. Are the authors assuming that people never looked up? I think the reason blue looks so fascinating to us is precisely because the sky is blue. What is that blue thing over our heads, I wonder (says ancient man), it's a very interesting thing, whatever it is.

freehunter 10y ago
But if you're an ancient man, what reason do you have for describing the color of the sky? Does it have any consequence on your life? Sure, it's always there and it's huge, but if the sky is blue... so what? If it's green, you have a reason to say it's green. If it's black, you have a reason to say it's black. If it's blue... who cares? It's almost always blue, and it never indicates anything that you need to be concerned about. Kind of like an ancient, completely homogeneous society doesn't need a word to indicate the color of their skin. It's just skin colored. Until they meet another tribe with a different color of skin. There are plenty of things we still don't have words for the color of. Steel comes to mind. We literally just call the color "steel" because steel is always the color of steel. It's not quite grey, it's not quite silver. And silver is colored silver without a distinct word for it. Because the only way we need to talk about the color of steel or silver or gold is when they're not colored like steel or silver or gold. Blued steel, rose gold, white gold, etc. But if it's colored gold, it's just gold. And if they sky is blue, it's just the sky.
- PhantomGremlin 10y ago
  if you're an ancient man, what reason do you have for describing the color of the sky? Ancient man spent a lot of time outdoors. I'd like to think that they were intensely interested in the color and appearance of the sky. There's also this rhyme[1]: Red sky at night, sailors' delight. Red sky at morning, sailors take warning; On many days, my only interaction with the outdoors is when walking the dog. And yet I'm quite interested in the sky. It informs my selection of outerwear. (The local weather radar also plays an important part). It's almost always blue Unfortunately not true in the Portland Oregon metro area. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_sky_at_morning https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_sky_at_morning
  - freehunter 10y ago
    So red is an important color to take note of. Blue indicates nothing but normal weather. The only reason you need to mention the color of the sky is when it's not sky-colored. Unless the sky is red or grey or black or green, you could just call it "sky".
    - PhantomGremlin 10y ago
      Unless the sky is red or grey or black or green, you could just call it "sky". Yes, that's probably the simplest and best explanation.

freehunter 10y ago

But if you're an ancient man, what reason do you have for describing the color of the sky? Does it have any consequence on your life? Sure, it's always there and it's huge, but if the sky is blue... so what? If it's green, you have a reason to say it's green. If it's black, you have a reason to say it's black. If it's blue... who cares? It's almost always blue, and it never indicates anything that you need to be concerned about. Kind of like an ancient, completely homogeneous society doesn't need a word to indicate the color of their skin. It's just skin colored. Until they meet another tribe with a different color of skin. There are plenty of things we still don't have words for the color of. Steel comes to mind. We literally just call the color "steel" because steel is always the color of steel. It's not quite grey, it's not quite silver. And silver is colored silver without a distinct word for it. Because the only way we need to talk about the color of steel or silver or gold is when they're not colored like steel or silver or gold. Blued steel, rose gold, white gold, etc. But if it's colored gold, it's just gold. And if they sky is blue, it's just the sky.

PhantomGremlin 10y ago
if you're an ancient man, what reason do you have for describing the color of the sky? Ancient man spent a lot of time outdoors. I'd like to think that they were intensely interested in the color and appearance of the sky. There's also this rhyme[1]: Red sky at night, sailors' delight. Red sky at morning, sailors take warning; On many days, my only interaction with the outdoors is when walking the dog. And yet I'm quite interested in the sky. It informs my selection of outerwear. (The local weather radar also plays an important part). It's almost always blue Unfortunately not true in the Portland Oregon metro area. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_sky_at_morning https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_sky_at_morning
- freehunter 10y ago
  So red is an important color to take note of. Blue indicates nothing but normal weather. The only reason you need to mention the color of the sky is when it's not sky-colored. Unless the sky is red or grey or black or green, you could just call it "sky".
  - PhantomGremlin 10y ago
    Unless the sky is red or grey or black or green, you could just call it "sky". Yes, that's probably the simplest and best explanation.