Read on Twitter
Aesthetic Identity: An Ongoing Thread. I think that everyone fundamentally has an aesthetic identity in each of our five senses. Each facet of this aesthetic identity is either strongly or weakly manifested, but exists in some shape or form. 1/
An aesthetic identity is not one that is created overnight, but one that is guided by both your past and present. As an entirety, it conveys who you are as a person. 2/
Interesting and memorable people typically have at least one (often more) sense that has a strong and coherent aesthetic identity. The coherence is not just external but also internally coherent to themselves. 3/
The most successful musicians, for example, typically have an exceptionally powerful and coherent visual and auditory aesthetic identity. Taylor Swift, Ozzy Osbourne, David Bowie. Mention these names and you immediately recall both a look *and* sound. 4/
We often conflate aesthetics with sight and sound, but it includes other senses, too. Someone like Anthony Bourdain, for example, embodies the power of having an aesthetic identity in taste. 5/
I think an aesthetic identity should be cultivated, but not manicured. Having a coherent aesthetic identity helps to ground you, but having an aesthetic identity that is modeled after what you want to be rather than who you are will lead to dissonance. 6/
Maintaining an aesthetic identity is typically not automatic, and requires effort to upkeep. As such, I don& #39;t think it is practical or even completely desirable to maintain it 24/7. 7/
But I think there is great value in setting up your surroundings and orienting your daily life around your current aesthetic. Even something as simple as choosing a signature scent for your room and yourself goes a long way. 8/
Aesthetic identity is very much about both what you portray outwards, as well as what you consume. People often forget the latter guides the former. It& #39;s almost as important that we choose what *not* to consume because everything shapes our subconscious in some way or form. 9/
There& #39;s a distinct difference between consciously choosing to eat certain fast food occasionally and defaulting to it because that& #39;s all you eat. Conversely, completely shunning fast food can come off as cultish. You& #39;re not *really* thinking about what you put in the mouth. 10/
Put another way, then, constructing your aesthetic identity is about expressing agency in a world where the invisible hand of the market is constantly guiding you towards consuming the latest and greatest trend. 11/
It is only by making a considered choice as to what to consume and what to outwardly express, that we can produce a distinct and coherent identity. Those that mindlessly consume are doomed to being tossed and thrown around by the winds of popular thought. 12/
In that sense, Dante was absolutely correct. Our lust, not just for carnal pleasures but for what society consideres latest and greatest, is a sin. The sinners are forever doomed to be flung around like mere puppets in a storm, promised but never granted satisfaction. 13/
I had initially conceived of the idea as involving the five senses plus the mind (i.e. what you read and what you write). But I’ve realised that it is incorrect to think of the mind as a separate sense. 14/
A coherent aesthetic identity should flow from what you think into what you *do*, which is necessarily expressed through the five senses. 15/
In that way, mindlessly blasting through books without regard for how that translates into your daily life is the opposite of cultivating an aesthetic identity. It is an almost masturbatory mental exercise, and as a result does the opposite of grounding you. 16/
So how does one begin with the construction of an aesthetic identity? I think there is benefit in starting broad and deciding which sense appeals the most. Visual is the easiest, but comes with baggage. Choosing art for your room, having your own dressing style. 17/
It seems like the most straightforward, but society’s influence on what is visually "correct" is so deeply embedded that our priors are difficult to shed. That makes it exponentially more difficult to establish our own visual identity. 18/
Perhaps it is better then to begin with something that is typically a blank slate for most people, something relatively untouched by mass commercialization compared to sight. 19/
I like the idea of touch, but still exploring how to think of it. The feeling of holding a well-crafted mug in your hands, the texture of a leather-bound journal under the fingertips. A silk gown on skin, the weight of a perfectly balanced kitchen knife. 20/
These are all things that we can consciously choose to surround ourselves with. Is it elegant lightness that we prioritize, or do we appreciate the authoritative heft of objects? It is a personal journey, and powerful to think about. We are nothing without our sense of touch. 21/
I really like this thought so I& #39;m going to riff on it a bit. Finding the right tactile tool for yourself actually does so much for general sense of contentment. Not sure if by itself it provides an aesthetic identity, but can certainly aid discovery 22/ https://twitter.com/captain_mrs/status/1283067892783775744?s=19">https://twitter.com/captain_m...
Total game changer for me when I found a mech keyboard, gaming mouse, and chair that I felt comfortable in especially since I spend more than half the day at the computer. 23/
I still slightly regret not going knife shopping the last time I was in Japan. I love my global knives and they work well but they never felt like they truly belonged in my hand. Something about it feels off, somehow. The search continues! 24/
I think finding a dining set (plates, cutlery, cups etc.) that uniquely feels right to you might be an excellent first step. Encompasses multiple senses: touch, sight, even taste and smell (since you& #39;re going to be serving food and drink with them). 25/
"the room came gradually to be a living thing to him - the outward counterpart to his unconscious."
h/t @context_ing 26/
http://www.iwritewordsgood.com/apl/patterns/apl253.htm">https://www.iwritewordsgood.com/apl/patte...
h/t @context_ing 26/
http://www.iwritewordsgood.com/apl/patterns/apl253.htm">https://www.iwritewordsgood.com/apl/patte...
Recently, I& #39;ve started keeping wine bottles which I open on special occasions. They line the top of my shelf, each one telling a story and marking a unique event in my life. 27/
I really like this concept. Choosing a signature scent, not just for yourself but your belongings too. This is something I would like to explore, but haven& #39;t got around to. Back when I regularly wore jackets, I would scent my pocket squares. https://twitter.com/anomiseditrix/status/1264506240769679361?s=20">https://twitter.com/anomisedi...
A friend once told me how he would scent his bed with YSL& #39;s La Nuit de l& #39;Homme, a scent that he knows girls go crazy for, and they would always remember him by it. It& #39;s not a scent I personally enjoy, but it goes to show how powerful scented belongings can provide identity. 29/
Girls are typically a lot more tuned in to their sense of smell compared to guys are, but strangely enough I& #39;ve found very few who have a signature scent compared to guys. Make of that what you will. 30/ https://twitter.com/shrinetothevine/status/1284143283094994945?s=20/">https://twitter.com/shrinetot...
One of my favourite cigarettes to smoke is the Japanese brand, Peace. Not just because it& #39;s such a good bloody smoke, but also because it& #39;s one of the few brands that leave a uniquely pleasing rather than off-putting (at least to me) aroma on the clothes. 31/
I really like this thought. That you find the aesthetic that is buried within you, that fits what is left after paring away the unnecessary. Yet, we have to bear in mind that our form and nature is always fluid and subject to change. https://twitter.com/egocv/status/1286253528160370688?s=19">https://twitter.com/egocv/sta...