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Why is everything so ugly?

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Re: Why is everything so ugly?

#131

Post by pixl97 »

latency-guy2 wrote: post #82
jszymborski wrote: post #38

I just wanted to echo the gray frustration here. I went to buy vinyl flooring (I can't afford hardwood) and the sheer amount of inexplicably "grey wood" planks was staggering. Why! Like, it's as if some alien only saw wood in an episode of I Love Lucy and wanted to replicate it.

I firmly dislike cherrywood, anything that is more red than brown is absolute shit to me. My parents loved it, thought it was the pinnacle of wealth. Now you might be questioning why I dislike cherrywood. The answer doesn't actually matter though, I dislike it. Most importantly, I am not the only one. I like vinyl, because I spent a few weeks of my life (probably at most a few hours total actual wall clock hours on i…

No idea why you're downvoted for this, but I guess pointing out the obvious on HN makes some people mad.

Re: Why is everything so ugly?

#132

Post by delecti »

mewpmewp2 wrote: post #4

It's hard for me to understand what the author is exactly talking about without seeing more images.

Do a google image search for "millennial beige". Alternatively, look at just about any house listed on Zillow/Redfin/etc. It's a design style that prioritizes modern designs and neutral colors.

Re: Why is everything so ugly?

#133

Post by pixl97 »

JadeNB wrote: post #130
cs702 wrote: post #127

Well, I for one don't think everything is ugly. Apple devices and stores look clean and elegant to me. Tesla vehicles feel and look simple and beautiful to me. If given a choice, I'd rather live in new buildings with bright, light-filled interiors than in old buildings with darker, mustier interiors. I could provide more examples of things I don't think are ugly. The main point is this: Beauty is in the eye of the be…

> Tesla vehicles look beautiful to me. As you say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder—but, seriously, the Cybertruck as a thing of beauty? (This is from someone who actually liked the boxy car designs of old.)

Every family has that ugly cousin no one talks about.

Re: Why is everything so ugly?

#134

Post by linster »

juggertao wrote: post #58
jszymborski wrote: post #38

I just wanted to echo the gray frustration here. I went to buy vinyl flooring (I can't afford hardwood) and the sheer amount of inexplicably "grey wood" planks was staggering. Why! Like, it's as if some alien only saw wood in an episode of I Love Lucy and wanted to replicate it.

The current advice is when you buy something to already think about the resale value of the item. So this excludes all colors for everything. Black, white, gray everything.

I think luxury goods, and the privilege of living within your means, is to be able to buy goods and instantly depreciate them.

I buy electronics equipment, computers, furniture, clothes, and cars with the mindset I will be the last owner of them, and they will have no resale value.

“I bought this, and I will assume it’s instantly worthless”

It keeps me from buying the same thing twice and causes me to save up for the thing I really want, and keep it for as long as possible. It also lets me be picky about my preferences and really scope out exactly what I want on a relaxed timeframe.

Perhaps it’s a side effect of growing up with hand me downs, and knowing anything our family owned was one step to junk, but it does keep spending in check now that I am doing okay in my career.

Re: Why is everything so ugly?

#135

Post by zip1234 »

donatj wrote: post #28

My city and apparently numerous cities in my area have passed ordinances that new buildings over a certain size have to have multiple facades to look like multiple buildings butted up to each other. The effect has been this astonishingly hideous theme park esq approximation of small town America that isn’t fooling anyone. It looks more out of place next to the actual turn of the twentieth century buildings than an un…

It's actually often enforced in zoning codes as "breaking up the massing".

Re: Why is everything so ugly?

#136

Post by cs702 »

JadeNB wrote: post #130
cs702 wrote: post #127

Well, I for one don't think everything is ugly. Apple devices and stores look clean and elegant to me. Tesla vehicles feel and look simple and beautiful to me. If given a choice, I'd rather live in new buildings with bright, light-filled interiors than in old buildings with darker, mustier interiors. I could provide more examples of things I don't think are ugly. The main point is this: Beauty is in the eye of the be…

> Tesla vehicles look beautiful to me. As you say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder—but, seriously, the Cybertruck as a thing of beauty? (This is from someone who actually liked the boxy car designs of old.)

Yes, the Cybertruck looks great to me.

Is it different? Yes. But ugly? Not in my view.

Have you seen it in person?

Re: Why is everything so ugly?

#137

Post by morkalork »

jszymborski wrote: post #38

I just wanted to echo the gray frustration here. I went to buy vinyl flooring (I can't afford hardwood) and the sheer amount of inexplicably "grey wood" planks was staggering. Why! Like, it's as if some alien only saw wood in an episode of I Love Lucy and wanted to replicate it.

Forget flooring, why are carpets and rugs with a grey and washed out faded look so popular? If you want a muted look, just don't buy one! Their whole purpose is to add color and style to a room and yet so much of what's available looks terrible.

Re: Why is everything so ugly?

#138

Post by dghlsakjg »

mgaunard wrote: post #112
dzdt wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And there is no economic possibility for small developers to actually build multiple buildings organically anymore. This is because of the economics of scale of complying with stringent building code requirements along with endless zoning board approval meetings, environmental reviews, traffic studies, etc etc etc.

Actually if you're talking about the US there are actually laws that prevent small developments; it's not just financials.

This is very, very, very place dependent, which is part of the problem TBH.

Re: Why is everything so ugly?

#139

Post by xprn »

pixl97 wrote: post #133
JadeNB wrote: post #130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Tesla vehicles look beautiful to me. As you say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder—but, seriously, the Cybertruck as a thing of beauty? (This is from someone who actually liked the boxy car designs of old.)

Every family has that ugly cousin no one talks about.

Obligatory “if you don’t know who it is, it’s you”
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