If entering a burning building...

[BrahRizor]

you people write too much.

[kthulhu]

I'm bored and unemployed. I have nothing better to do than hassle people .

[fyrtenheimer]

you people write too much.

shut cho trap bitch

[BrahRizor]

I do what I want whatever!

[Nurd]

Sure, it might be "unique" (to you), but we all crap. Mix it all together, and WOW! What shit belongs to what person? You can't really tell. Shit is not unique. Do you keep your shit because it has any intrinsic value? No, if you're like most of humanity, you flush it down and forget about it. There'll be another one in a day, at most. "Nurd's Turd" is a poor example.

Put a Van Gogh next to a Rembrandt next to a Japanese print, and guess what? They all stand out from one another. They're different, they're unique, and each is the end result of the creator's vision. It's not the time, effort, or materials put into the painting that gives it value - it's the story, the idea, the inspiration, and the reaction it gives the viewer that does.

From the perspective of relativity all shit is unique. Using your example though, if I took that same Van Gogh, Rembrandt, and Japanese print and mixed them all together, would you be able to tell them apart? No, it would just be one mass of pulp, mush and paint. The value of these paintings is not in the story they tell, for if it was, the same value would be placed onto prints of those paintings or photographs of those paintings, and it isn't, the value is is in that one particular item, which, although it tells the same story as copies of it, has the benefit of being older.

Yes, but there is nothing to stop you from appreciating a Van Gogh in addition to all that, is there? Besides blowhard elitism, that is. "I have nature, I don't need Van Gogh!". Why not have both?

The statement was made that a society that appreciates a kitten over a "priceless" Van Gogh, is not one that LIVES but merely exists. The topic of discussion did not give the option of both. Appreciating a Van Gogh is one thing, but saying that if you DON'T appreciate it over a living being you are somehow not "living" is what I consider blowhard elitism.

And yet some asshole's kid can smile, and it's different? What if it's a bratty kid? And why not have both? You're going for an ideological high ground that, while your own (and you're entitled to it), seems silly, illogical, and masochistic. It's not deep.

I wasn't going for depth, nor am I taking any sort of moral or ideological "high ground". I'm merely pointing out that there are more beautiful places to find art than on wood and canvas.

So, with your "nature only" doctrine, humanity should go back to the state that we've worked hard to get AWAY from. Nature seems fine and beautiful when you have a modern house, with indoor plumbing and heat, and a computer with internet connection to return to. Ask the homeless how much they appreciate the "art of nature".

You've decided to change the argument from whether or not a painting is worth more than the life of a kitten, to whether or not we should all become luddites and live in the woods. I'll save this one for another time and another topic as it doesn't fit into this thread at all.

Also, don't we have enough sunsets and smiling babies and changing leaves in the fall?

Perhaps you've seen enough. I have not, the joy of being human I guess. We each get to chose our own path.

Except that life involves death, no matter what. There can always be life. There won't always be genuine Van Goghs.

I dont see a problem with either of these. Other than that I can't argue this one. Damn you kthulhu!

As for the unique kitten: what if it were cloned? They looked and acted alike. They were the same internally. Is that kitten still unique? Is its clone less unique?

What if they were cloned? Does it matter? No, each of the cloned kittens is in it's own way unique, no matter how similar they may be.

Nurd

I think that's the first time I've ever been accused of an idealogical high ground. I'm still shocked and amazed.

[Nurd]

you people write too much.

I'm bored and unemployed. I have nothing better to do than hassle people.

Someone had to take an opposing viewpoint, besides, this is fun.

Nurd

[Dannywilson]

A pissed off cat says: THIS THREAD LICKS DONKEY ASS-SWEAT! SAVE THE VAN GOGH DUMBASS!

[yuppa]

i think the cat said, WTF? SAVING A DAMN PICTURE? YOU ARE A LOW DOWN SHITHELL IF YA SAVE A PICTURE OVER A LIFE. what if it was you and the picture? wouldnt you wana be saved? you might be in a situationn like that one day, and lifes kinda ironic sometimes. id save the kiten.

[Aetherfukz]

i think the cat said, WTF? SAVING A DAMN PICTURE? YOU ARE A LOW DOWN SHITHELL IF YA SAVE A PICTURE OVER A LIFE. what if it was you and the picture? wouldnt you wana be saved? you might be in a situationn like that one day, and lifes kinda ironic sometimes. id save the kiten.

Good point made. I would always chose life over a merely thing. It there would be a rottweiler like someone said above, I would whistle or call him to, if he would be aggressive, OK that's it but if he would be scared of the fire and come with me, I would bring him out too.

Of course if I would happen to catch the Van Gogh on the way out together with the kitten I would give the kitten back, hero-style(tm)
But the Van Gogh, a few month later after things have come back to normal again... I would take it to a visit on the black market

[AznRAVEr1022]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=s ... davinci_dc

THE IRONY