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the biggest travesty in history was factories replacing skilled labourers
Artisans‘ work being weaned out due to subdividing their work to less expensive and unskilled labourers is the biggest travesty we have made in the modern age. Where factories mass producing materials to meet the increasing demand for faster results pushed aside all beauty of the industrial world. We will never get buildings like the Notre-Dame de Reims, or St. Vitus Cathedral, or even the Burgos Cathedral because we no longer pay people for their skills. We no longer the beauty of creativity, such as the art of staining-glass to then create beautiful window art that would hang high and filter through sunlight in the most colourful glorious way for further generations to come to also stand in awe and admire the intricate pictures made from glass. Or even stone masons, who have the ability to create life within an inanimate object with intricate designs, to forever line marbled walls. We have lost the beauty and art of gothic structures to high rise buildings and basic 4-walled houses made of plaster and fibre-glass because we no longer value art as well as an individual‘s skills. I’m mad.
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@jilly
Jan 20, 2025
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@m4ds
I completely agree! and I’d add that this shift away from valuing skilled artisans is about more than just aesthetics—it reflects a broader cultural change in how we view labor and creativity. historically, artisans were not just workers; they were damn storytellers, showing traditions and cultural identities through their craft. the Notre-Dame de Reims and St. Vitus Cathedral are not just architectural feats and fucking awesome; they embody the spirit, faith, and craftsmanship of like an entire era. when u think of gothic architecture in France, you think of Notre-Dame! By prioritizing efficiency and cost-cutting, we're risking losing that deeper connection to human expression and history. the mass production and assembly lines may fulfill material needs, but they lack the soul and intention behind handcrafted works. the buildings u bring up weren’t just buildings; they were designed to inspire awe, to lift people’s gazes upward, connecting them to something greater than themselves, like literal God. It feels like we’ve traded enduring beauty for temporary convenience. this says so much about us as a society. look at the stupid micro trends and fast fashion we cook up. look at how we consume social media. look at the legacy are we leaving for future generations.
Jan 20, 2025
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@jilly
m4ds honestly you said that so amazingly, i could not agree more. it’s heartbreaking
Jan 20, 2025
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