It’s possible for everyone to like beautiful things but not build them when given the chance. The “problem” is, everyone has a different preference. Let’s say

It’s possible for everyone to like beautiful things but not build them when given the chance. The “problem” is, everyone has a different preference. Let’s say I like mid-century modern, and spend $75,000 extra on building (tastefully) in that style. Now it’s 10 years later and I want to sell the house. A potential buyer likes everything except the mid-century modern. Their favorite style is neoclassical. To them, mid-century modern styling has a value of zero or even -$25,000. So if I didn’t build in that style, they might have been willing to pay 75k-100k more. The paradox here is that a divergence in preferences, due to cultural atomization and the internet, has led to lower returns on investment in beauty (and atrophying of craftsmanship and the ability to build beautifully to begin with). If you ask me, a tasteful aesthetic monoculture is a good thing, and can result in timeless beauty which will be appreciated long after that monoculture evolves/ends. Sameness is not inherently bad! See: Florence, Venice, Andalucia, 1800’s Paris, etc…