The Aesthetic Experience

I think it's a must for everyone.

Take your regular existence.
9-5, check.
spouse and 2.5 kids, check
pet, check
mortgage, check
colossal amounts of debt you're working to resolve, check

And so on and so forth. Where is that feeling you need to propel you past the mundane experience of working to afford the "simple bear necessities of life"? (Balloo would be so proud of me!)

Some people cheat. Often. Some people work out waaaay too much. Some people take on needless adventures, pushing their lives to the extreme. Some people turn to religion. Some people take on a cause. Others break the law, have deviant lives made up of some crazy thing or another (insert leather based thing here). You name it, people do it.

Why? what is it within us that compels the seeking of these acts? Why go to such lengths to surpass the concrete? transcend to the infinite? Smoke pot? Whatever?

The aesthetic. That which is of pure emotion, pure sensation. Of all senses and none. after the basics of life, it is the aesthetic which propels us.

Take your average hollywood star (My spell checker REALLY wants me to capitalize that word. I'm rebelling). Basic needs are met. Attractive partners are easy. Money is no problem. can't mess us your face. Can't walk in a crowd. Can't go to a concert.  Always hang out with the same people as trapped as you, and pretending that it's better that way. If it was any one of us, I'm sure that deviant behavior would be looming over the horizon. that's why the stable ones have something else to think about. Many are into making their own music, or learn another skill that isn't people based, like piloting. Others turn to drugs to escape, or marry constantly and adopt crazy causes (or kids). They say it's to give back, but I know better.

What about suburbia? Same dance, different partner. People enact their own versions of American Beauty in a feeble effort to hang on to something. That crazy guy that yells way to much for his 6 year old's soccer game. (I hate that guy, if you can't tell. I mean seriously...She's 6! for God's sake! Take a damn chill pill! what do you think she's gonna do, play in the Olympics next year?? I KNOW it's illegal, but tasering that dude would be so...satisfactory.) What about the compulsive shopper? Gym Rat? President of the United St...wait.. not going there...

All for the holy thing, this Aesthetic. Think for a minute. What makes you get that feeling that you can't ascribe to any one sense? What one thing would you endure crazy amounts of work just to earn? Money? Sex? Drugs? Barbershop Quartets? Music?