Many people believe that the word "aesthetics" means "beauty," or that it describes objects conforming to one set of rules regarding what is beautiful. This misunderstanding has arisen because for several hundred years Western cultures have regarded art as something separate from everyday life.

In the simplest terms, many people believe that "art" is beautiful and everyday life is not -- even if they understand that everyday life can provide us with some of our most enjoyable experiences via:

  • the use of manufactured or self-made objects,
  • participation in hobbies and sports, and
  • consumption of popular media like movies, television, pop radio and bestselling fiction.

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