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Our esthetic sense evolves along behind designs. What is efficient comes to seem beautiful to the next generation. Once the Ford Edsel was the pinnacle of autom
by moloch-hai 4y ago
Our esthetic sense evolves along behind designs. What is efficient comes to seem beautiful to the next generation. Once the Ford Edsel was the pinnacle of automotive beauty.
The P-51 or Spitfire would lose to a T-28 or F8F, but the former look better to us. We are attuned now to designs like the Su-57 and F-22, so are less sensitive to the merits of systems that work a different regime.
- WalterBright 4y agoIt's hard to describe how the beauty of a P-51 or a Spit affects me. It's a visceral thrill I feel in my whole body. It's hard to believe that they were designed to be deadly killing machines rather than ultimate beauties. Or maybe not so surprising. I had an eagle fly by me once at about arm's length, and at shoulder height. I was stunned by its deadly beauty. Right then I knew why so many countries adopt the eagle as their mascot.
- erosenbe0 4y agoCorrect, one does not compare a top-of-the-line Amish buggy to a Tesla even though both are wheeled personal passenger transports.
- taneq 4y agoBut even knowing nothing about buggies, looking at either one, you kinda know it’s good though.
- abudabi123 4y agoThere is a picture of two vehicles side-by-side at Nasa's website on the history of the Space Shuttle. If you see it you decide which of the two was built by the faceless bureaucratic procurement-contractor process.
- LBJsPNS 4y ago"Once the Ford Edsel was the pinnacle of automotive beauty." Uhm...