Beauty Is Timeless-Essay 3 Draft

Jodie Crutchley

November 2, 2014

English Writing Skills Workshop

Professor Rasheda Young

Draft of Essay 3

Timeless Beauty

        

         We have found things in our history that we define as beautiful. But what makes something beautiful? Landforms, works of art, and simple human actions are just a few things that we may find beautiful. Philosopher, Denis Dutton, hosted a Ted Talk where he talked about "A Darwinian theory of beauty". He mentions an abundance of things that people find beautiful with an explanation of why that is. Dutton believes that beauty is not "in the eye of the beholder", but "it's deep in our minds it's a gift" says Dutton. This more simply means that beauty is timeless. What we see in natural landforms, works of art, and simple human action creates a sensation feeling of beauty that continues without end. 

        TED is a non profit organization that features powerful talks and spreading ideas. The talks range anywhere from business to global sciences. TED began in 1984 as a conference where Technology, Entertainment and Design converged, and today covers almost all topics. The talks are even featured in over 100 languages! Denis Dutton's Ted Talk was particularly interesting to me because it didn't talk about beauty involving just human appearance. Dutton described art, landforms, and actions being beautiful as well. 

        Beauty is all around us. It can be found anywhere you look. It is commonly found in nature. Many people are drawn to the landscapes of, the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls, and Mt. Everest. The Grand Canyon is a site that people still find beautiful today that has rocks dated back 1.8 billion years lying at the bottom of the canyon. Niagara Falls landscape is similar to one that Denis Dutton feels is a landscape that everyone finds beautiful, complements of our ancestors. The view of water, large trees, and animal life is a place Dutton feels is desirable to people around the world. Niagara falls dates back 5,500 years. Mt. Everest which stands 29,035 feet above see level is another place commonly visited and seen as beautiful throughout the years. This extravagant mountain is said to be over 60 million years old. Many people today make climbing this enormous mountain a goal to a bucket list. The goal will always remain popular throughout time while people pass on but the mountain itself will live on. Other natural landmarks people also view constructed art to be beautiful. 

       Where there is natural beauty, there is also constructed beauty. Works of art can be characterized as constructed art and even beauty. We find works of art beautiful because it helps us express ourselves. King Tut's sarcophagus is considered to be an amazing form of art that we find beautiful and amazing because of the history and detail put into someones tombstone. People even find that the works of Pablo Picasso are beautiful, even though his work features very odd shapes and figures that do not make much sense to the naked eye. Some of the oldest forms of art, cave paintings, are considered to be the most beautiful of all. Of course you would think that a couple of stick figures on wall of a cave doesn't take too much talent to construct, but you have to look deeper into the art the to find the true beauty of it. Most of the time, it isn't what makes a piece of art look beautiful, but its the meaning and history behind the art work that makes it apart of timeless beauty. 

        "Beauty of style, and harmony, and grace, and good rhythm depends of simplicity" -Plato. Human actions can be considered beautiful and timeless. The actions in sports from catching a thought to be uncatchable throw in the Super Bowl to winning the a gold medal in the Olympics for rowing or skating are timeless and reflected upon and viewed as beautiful moments in history. Human actions can also be seen beauty in the way of creating and being able to play music. Works by Beethoven who lived from the late 1700's to the early 1800's are still listened to and admired today. This shows actions by humans can also be beautiful. 

       The sight of natural landforms, works of art, and simple human actions give a sensation of beauty that lives throughout time. Beauty is timeless. This is evident through the landforms we see and admire today that developed thousands to billions of years ago. Also through the art that was constructed at the beginning of our existent that is praised in museums to this day. As time goes on art through action becomes a part of history. Similar to Babe Ruth's baseball legacy and Beethoven's musical genius. People will strive to create and beat the people with esteemed legacies to develop a legacy of their own. Time can put no restriction on beauty.