Beautifully Alive

I love Stewart's (2012) comparison of the contrast between the two words anesthetic and aesthetic. As touched upon briefly in the previous post, language can convey a lot of the present day culture's symbology and subconscious processes through its structure and composition. The words anesthetic and aesthetic are separated only by a single letter, however, their definitions are completely opposite in meaning. An anesthetic "is used to induce insensitivity or unconsciousness". (pg. 169) It numbs us and deprives us of feeling. An aesthetic experience, on the other hand is characterized by, "enhanced feelings and expanded understanding". (pg. 169). Thus, the simple, yet profound reason we seek out and find ourselves attracted to beauty is because it makes us feel alive. The simple act of being an artist who creates a beautiful piece of art, is one of the most enlivening experiences on the planet.