It has been said that architecture reflects culture - if so we're in a heap of trouble. Automobile styling & colors of the mid-fifties and the early sixties reflected the imagination and optimism of the post-war era. Current day progressivism is an inversive oxymoron - in reality we've regressed into authoritarian rule & sovietization of our culture with our lives getting ever smaller and greyer day by day. Where we're heading is anyone's guess, but I'm sensing a re-awakening of human aspirations & spirit. Can't come soon enough.
I call it brutalist architecture, I think it's designed to 'hurt' us energetically. I also learned from an Art student that they are being taught now that beauty is nonsense and only that which reflects the ugliness & barbarity of life is what is acceptable or cool.
When I was promoted to the executive suite, my wife insisted I upgrade from my then 23-year-old sports car (which I dearly loved) to something more fitting of a VP. I acquiesced, but on the condition that it be a specific make, model, trim level, and color combination (exterior/interior).
Looking for a certified used example took some effort, but I eventually tracked the exact car I wanted on the other side of the country and had it shipped to my home. (In 2018, it wasn’t yet the norm that you’d buy a car online.)
Anyway, not a super high-end car. It was (debatably) a step up from my sports car, but not a Porsche or Ferrari.
But here’s my point. It’s a beautiful bright blue with a yellow interior. And I cannot tell you how many times I’ve been complimented in parking lots or gas stations on the color. Truly. “Nice car!” they say, almost always followed by, “Love the color!”
It IS a beautiful blue. Love it. Wasn’t easy to track down as it was a premium color and - sadly - infrequently ordered by buyers or dealers.
But while I always smile and am gracious when complimented, at the same time I’m reminded each time how sad it is that we’re so starved for colors these days that my car stands out at all…
Yes—that is an excellent illustration of the situation. People appreciate color, and, as you say, all the more so because they are starved of it. It shouldn't be that way.
I certainly would be one of the people complimenting your car color. (I am not shy—I once thanked a brunette for being a brunette in a town full of blondes.) And the thing is, I don't even like blue all that much. But I would just want to let you know that I am grateful for giving me something interesting to look at.
I did the same thing. When I upgraded from my orange FR-S, I went out of my way (and out of state) to get a bright RED WRX. I didn't want subtle or quiet. I wanted ALIVE.
stop looking at parking lots, TV, and look at the yard. Mine is green, green, green. Wit white flowers, and redbirds, blue Jays, woodpeckers... the only black and white are my dog and my cats. Our eyes are made for colour, not for TV screens !
So much creativity is the interplay of light (color) and darkness.
The world that surrounds us is a choice. Color, darkness or anything in between.
I kept thinking about the church building cathedrals with gargoyles while humans starved. Then I remembered driving past beautiful old buildings bought by the city government to restore and use for offices while other humans are homeless. No one buys and restores beautiful places for me! (not that I want them to. I just notice a double standard!)
One more thought, color does hold frequency and affects our psyche. Gray can dull us and keep us in subjection if we are unaware.
A decade ago I took off the suit and tie/khaki pants and polo shirt uniform of conformity. Removed the mass-produced menswear that lacked any kind of unique signature, even the Tommy Bahama colorful prints were out of my clothing rack when I saw others wearing the exact same one I had chosen, imagining it was more unique than most would wear.
Instead I chose my own style of a hippie-Latin American fusion. Very colorful, more unique styles from small manufacturers. I know there's others out there, I'm not the only customer of the vendors I buy from. But I've yet to see anyone else in them, or even near my style.
As I removed the uniforms of conformity and mass production from my wardrobe and created my own presentation of self to the world I set off into the world on a grand multi-year adventure. In my travels I went to Iceland, Nordic-inspired. And saw the fashion there was dull and grey. Occasionally I'd see colors and patterns that weren't the drab uniform grey. And always just on women. But they were still drawn from the same patterns, with muted color, nothing bold, daring, I spotted no individual signature styles on anybody.
And boy did I stand out! Thing is, I could hold that space. And standing out became a opportunity for conversation and connection that blending in never would have. Locals were curious, wondered what was my story. And I was engaging and curious about them. Wonderful connections, I know I touched many minds with interesting insights they hadn't heard or thought about, I could tell when light bulbs went off inside them as thoughts previously confined were given permission to engage in wonder. It may sound like I'm overhyping this, but I watched it. My signature statement of unique color and clothing style attracted others to me.
If I wasn't an engaging conversationalist, if I was looking for a more solitary or introspective travel experience it would've been awkward. But I was even introduced to local leaders, a Member of Parliament from the Pirate Party. Introduction and wonderful conversation that ensued never would've happened if I was similarly bland in my appearance.
Note: The Pirate Party's in Europe are quasi-anarchist. By quasi I mean they support socialized medicine and education, and bought into the mask and vaccine mandates, And they fall in line with the woketard virtuosity of progressives. Other than that they generally support mild anarchical society. Other than that how was the play, Mrs. Lincoln? I don't see how that model works for anarchists, but there's the Nordic idea of anarchist political parties for you.
I had similar experiences around the world in my travels of the time. And found that Latin America remains very vibrant and rich with color, very different from the Nordics. The US is closer to the Nordic monochromatic mass-produced fashion than the Latin American styles. And I still present myself in my own hippie-Latin fusion I began a decade ago.
Even in the US I find people to be more curious, open to engaging me because of how uniquely I present. Though I sometimes am met with a snooty rebuff at high-end restaurants and hotel meeting spaces where most are professionally attired in the business suit and tie, khaki and polo uniform. But inside their pretentious minds I know they're envious, and wish they could hold the space of standing out in a crowd as well as I do!!
Maybe if more individual freedom and liberty types had the gumption to assert their freedom and liberty and stand out with color and style more people's curiosities would be piqued and minds would be inspired to embrace their own uniqueness? I wonder.
And to your last question, yes, I think it would, as your travel experience at least partially demonstrated.
And as to the Pirate Party…I don't mean to be a party pooper, but calling oneself an anarchist and then supporting socialized medicine is rather clueless. Well hey, at least they're not 100% communist.
I was born and raised 0-12 in a hood-adjacent neighborhood. A block away the public housing projects started. I'd hear sirens all the time, see police tape, walked in on a murder scene that hadn't been fully cleaned up yet, while still in elementary school. My face didn't look like most of the faces in my classrooms. And my classmates and neighborhood kids were my friends.
I know how to carry myself in the hood. Have taken that awareness and ventured into "unsafe" parts of cities like Bogota, by myself, and been fine. In my style as described above. And people smile, engage, normal humaning, but more open and non-threatening even in "dangerous" places. I've gone back to the neighborhood I grew up in, visited the Flea (market) that was the place to go. Welcomed, given thumbs up, warm conversations. The most recent time I did this was in 2021, many were still wearing masks, I wasn't. But people would engage.
And more than a few conversations at the time went to masks. A surprising number would even remove their masks during/after our conversations. Not many, but some. And any was a victory to me at the time. Even when I go out in venues where my friends of color see me in my color style I get smiles, head nods and thumbs ups, along with the occasional verbal compliment. Because I have style, not vanilla. And in certain communities pale faces with vanilla attire aren't trusted. I think it has something to do with Malcolm X's warnings about white folk that doesn't apply to how I present.
Traveling in South America I was able to go into high end nightclubs and bars that had dress codes for locals while I dressed hippie-Latin. I'd like to think it was because I was stylin' so much I exceeded their dress code standards. But some locals informed me it was because I was an American, they weren't used to American tourists there and liked that I wanted to be there, my curious attire wasn't the disqualifier it would've been for locals. Who knows.
It's also a camouflage in plain sight of bourgeoise society. The things I'll overhear from people in positions of power and authority over business power lunches, dinners and drinks that they'd be more cautious about saying if I was dressed like them have been valuable and actionable for my own benefit. It's oddly disarming, defenses go down. Little do they know.
It's an interesting phenomenon that standing out is the perfect camouflage to weave seamlessly through most every strata of society. Truly hiding in plain sight. Though the Black-tie affairs of clanking glasses and ego stroking are off limits unless I wear the costume. But I did that for more than two decades. And don't miss it.
"The things I'll overhear from people in positions of power and authority over business power lunches, dinners and drinks that they'd be more cautious about saying if I was dressed like them have been valuable and actionable for my own benefit."
The misunderestimations our visual shortcuts are prone to. Related to the Columbo effect. The bumbling police investigator who the suspects think is clueless.
I love your attitude! I wear flowers in my hair and whatever colours suit my energy of the day, and bugger what anyone else thinks is 'stylish'. Most people smile to see me, which delights me.
Should you ever be in Buenos Aires, drinks are on me.
It’s amazing you are talking about colors. My house has always been a Slate Blue color. It’s a Cabot’s oil stain, OVT (old Virginia Tint). I have to admit it’s a great color. My neighbor was painting her house, right next door, and the guy primed the house the same color as mine. I saw the wife one day and asked her, that’s not the color your painting, it looks identical to mine. She said I like the color of your house, why don’t you change it!! I couldn’t believe my ears, I said Karen when I sell my house I’ll tell the new owners that your house is part of my property because they look the same ok?? She ended up painting it grey. Since then 6 neighbors have painted or sided their houses the same or close to my color, I can’t believe my eyes!! It’s almost like people’s brains have been destroyed. With the thousands of colors they have all chose this same blue color it’s dumbfounding. There used to be individuality when it came to your house color. There was an etiquette to make your house yours. I look at these people and feel like I’m living around morons, no offense to morons. I went to work on Saturday. As I drove up the street a house was being sided with the same exact blue color, very close to mine, I can’t believe my eyes. Today there is no etiquette left.
It is the dark side of our nature as an ultra-social species. And then within that context, a large portion of the population simply use fitting in with the herd as their primary survival strategy.
A lot of them probably don't even know they are doing it.
When I lived in upstate NY we bought an old Victorian house all completely painted white. I painted it the foundation a dark green and the achitectural details in a medium and lighter green with plum purple trim. It was fabulous. People walking by would compliment it. The architecture was made for bold color.
A current example I could definitely say is at my work .. those of us who are full time / salaried have black while the part timers do red so I always accent it with an undershirt that’s colorful or have a necklace or something to make it less neutral .. it’s true that they actually want you to be okay with grey . But I am not okay with it at all
Did any fellow readers ever visit East Berlin before The Wall came down? Imagine an entire dusty city presented in shades of gray. That’s what it was like. Driving from Bahrain across the causeway to Saudi Arabia is similar - dusty with shades of beige. Fiat used to have fun colors. I had a light blue 500e; the missus still drives her arancia (orange) 500x. She can always find it in a parking lot. Give us non-metallic colored cars any day.
Yes, six years before the Berlin Wall fell I was with a bus load of family and we crossed from the west into the east. At the border armed guards boarded our bus. One family member took a picture of the armed guards and had her camera confiscated. On both sides we were driving through rural areas. On the west side, nicely painted houses, manicured lawns with colorful flower boxes everywhere. We crossed into the east and the change was unforgettable. Houses were concrete block gray. Yards were overgrown and often cluttered with broken down cars. Not a single house had flowers in flower boxes underneath their windows. The year was 1983. We returned to the States for the 1984 election. The election choice was between Reagan and Mondale, a managed dichotomy designed to assure the centralization of power in Washington DC regardless of who won. I voted for David Bergland.
We were in East Berlin at almost the same time. My impressions matched yours. My visit was in 1984 for the Berlin Marathon - my one and only marathon and an unforgettable experience. I was required to wear my Class A uniform into East Berlin - resulting in an interesting encounter with Soviet or East German junior officers in front of a museum - I played it up, walking into the museum holding my little son's hand.
I just ran across this piece from Instapundit, and boy, this is something that's been driving me nuts too! Driving along I will comment on it... grey grey grey grey white white grey black BLUE grey grey grey .... And so many of them bland flavorless Toyotas , too. I just don't get why people would want to spend so much on something so completely boring.
I go the opposite... I have my VW Beetle. I had a 98 one which was black. (Because that's what was in stock), but my other cars were always colorful. then when it died, I got a 2018 one and was overjoyed that they made one in this lovely deep green color (FINALLY). I bought it , and since then have only ever seen 2 more like it on the road. I get SO MANY COMPLIMENTS on it it's ridiculous. Like the person wrote below about their blue car, people call out to me in the parking lot. "I like your car! Great color!" Several times they;'ve beeped at me on the road and made me roll down my window, and I think "uh oh", but then they just say "Your car looks so cool! I love the color!" I see several people taking photos. And i just have to think, YOU could do that too! go buy a nicely colored vehicle!
It's good to remember that here is not everywhere. As I've been looking at real estate in Mexico I'm astounded by the COLOURS they use in paint, textiles, pottery, tiles, etc. It's all so incredibly colourful. It's no wonder I'm drawn to go there!
I don’t know if anyone has said this already but interior design/decor/furniture and paints have gone the way of grays or massive amounts of white. Blacks are also “in”.
Ad- land. Many are influenced by ads and advertorials where everything is white, all so that the product being advertised or photographed is more defined/ showcased.
I see bland and dull colors as boring and depressing. When I look around and see vivid colors, I see a world which is alive and thriving. Although I may not want a house painted in jewel tone colors (sapphire, emerald, ruby, etc…) I love cars and clothing which are bright and vivacious. Conformity imo is used to kill individual expression; but we were all created as unique individuals. Therefore, rather than blending in, I embrace the choice to stand out.
Italy, like many countries, has many beautiful cities, towns and villages with gorgeous pastel colored houses that bring a smile and also of stone but with wonderful colored accents such as doors - windows -balconies. After WWII the ugliest apartment complexes were built - just cement lumps. Interestingly that is where most of the crime is. Besides lots of people on top of each other in a small area but when you add the lifeless colorless concreteness to it has to be Spirit destroying. Thankfully many beautify and personalize their balconies (Often enough plants to be a virtual garden) and interiors to bring in some joy.
When my son bought his first new car he bought an orangie Chevy Cobalt which had real vibrancy and personality.
It has been said that architecture reflects culture - if so we're in a heap of trouble. Automobile styling & colors of the mid-fifties and the early sixties reflected the imagination and optimism of the post-war era. Current day progressivism is an inversive oxymoron - in reality we've regressed into authoritarian rule & sovietization of our culture with our lives getting ever smaller and greyer day by day. Where we're heading is anyone's guess, but I'm sensing a re-awakening of human aspirations & spirit. Can't come soon enough.
sharing.
I call it brutalist architecture, I think it's designed to 'hurt' us energetically. I also learned from an Art student that they are being taught now that beauty is nonsense and only that which reflects the ugliness & barbarity of life is what is acceptable or cool.
Communism (brutalism) and Postmodernism (there is no standard of beauty) have infected much!
When I was promoted to the executive suite, my wife insisted I upgrade from my then 23-year-old sports car (which I dearly loved) to something more fitting of a VP. I acquiesced, but on the condition that it be a specific make, model, trim level, and color combination (exterior/interior).
Looking for a certified used example took some effort, but I eventually tracked the exact car I wanted on the other side of the country and had it shipped to my home. (In 2018, it wasn’t yet the norm that you’d buy a car online.)
Anyway, not a super high-end car. It was (debatably) a step up from my sports car, but not a Porsche or Ferrari.
But here’s my point. It’s a beautiful bright blue with a yellow interior. And I cannot tell you how many times I’ve been complimented in parking lots or gas stations on the color. Truly. “Nice car!” they say, almost always followed by, “Love the color!”
It IS a beautiful blue. Love it. Wasn’t easy to track down as it was a premium color and - sadly - infrequently ordered by buyers or dealers.
But while I always smile and am gracious when complimented, at the same time I’m reminded each time how sad it is that we’re so starved for colors these days that my car stands out at all…
Yes—that is an excellent illustration of the situation. People appreciate color, and, as you say, all the more so because they are starved of it. It shouldn't be that way.
I certainly would be one of the people complimenting your car color. (I am not shy—I once thanked a brunette for being a brunette in a town full of blondes.) And the thing is, I don't even like blue all that much. But I would just want to let you know that I am grateful for giving me something interesting to look at.
I did the same thing. When I upgraded from my orange FR-S, I went out of my way (and out of state) to get a bright RED WRX. I didn't want subtle or quiet. I wanted ALIVE.
❤️
🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯
You forgot to include what constitutes contemporary “art” and “music”. 🤢
There is some good new music out there, but yeah, a lot of the popular stuff is garbagio of the first order.
And mainstream contemporary "art" is a total wasteland.
stop looking at parking lots, TV, and look at the yard. Mine is green, green, green. Wit white flowers, and redbirds, blue Jays, woodpeckers... the only black and white are my dog and my cats. Our eyes are made for colour, not for TV screens !
Yeah. I have lots of flowers here. But it's hard not to notice when you're driving down the highway for six hours.
thankfully, I am retired ! there is at least one thing good about getting old !
Enjoy it!
“The washed-out grayness of socialism.”
So much creativity is the interplay of light (color) and darkness.
The world that surrounds us is a choice. Color, darkness or anything in between.
I kept thinking about the church building cathedrals with gargoyles while humans starved. Then I remembered driving past beautiful old buildings bought by the city government to restore and use for offices while other humans are homeless. No one buys and restores beautiful places for me! (not that I want them to. I just notice a double standard!)
One more thought, color does hold frequency and affects our psyche. Gray can dull us and keep us in subjection if we are unaware.
"Gray can dull us and keep us in subjection if we are unaware."
Another commenter called it the sovietization of our culture. I think there is something to that!
A decade ago I took off the suit and tie/khaki pants and polo shirt uniform of conformity. Removed the mass-produced menswear that lacked any kind of unique signature, even the Tommy Bahama colorful prints were out of my clothing rack when I saw others wearing the exact same one I had chosen, imagining it was more unique than most would wear.
Instead I chose my own style of a hippie-Latin American fusion. Very colorful, more unique styles from small manufacturers. I know there's others out there, I'm not the only customer of the vendors I buy from. But I've yet to see anyone else in them, or even near my style.
As I removed the uniforms of conformity and mass production from my wardrobe and created my own presentation of self to the world I set off into the world on a grand multi-year adventure. In my travels I went to Iceland, Nordic-inspired. And saw the fashion there was dull and grey. Occasionally I'd see colors and patterns that weren't the drab uniform grey. And always just on women. But they were still drawn from the same patterns, with muted color, nothing bold, daring, I spotted no individual signature styles on anybody.
And boy did I stand out! Thing is, I could hold that space. And standing out became a opportunity for conversation and connection that blending in never would have. Locals were curious, wondered what was my story. And I was engaging and curious about them. Wonderful connections, I know I touched many minds with interesting insights they hadn't heard or thought about, I could tell when light bulbs went off inside them as thoughts previously confined were given permission to engage in wonder. It may sound like I'm overhyping this, but I watched it. My signature statement of unique color and clothing style attracted others to me.
If I wasn't an engaging conversationalist, if I was looking for a more solitary or introspective travel experience it would've been awkward. But I was even introduced to local leaders, a Member of Parliament from the Pirate Party. Introduction and wonderful conversation that ensued never would've happened if I was similarly bland in my appearance.
Note: The Pirate Party's in Europe are quasi-anarchist. By quasi I mean they support socialized medicine and education, and bought into the mask and vaccine mandates, And they fall in line with the woketard virtuosity of progressives. Other than that they generally support mild anarchical society. Other than that how was the play, Mrs. Lincoln? I don't see how that model works for anarchists, but there's the Nordic idea of anarchist political parties for you.
I had similar experiences around the world in my travels of the time. And found that Latin America remains very vibrant and rich with color, very different from the Nordics. The US is closer to the Nordic monochromatic mass-produced fashion than the Latin American styles. And I still present myself in my own hippie-Latin fusion I began a decade ago.
Even in the US I find people to be more curious, open to engaging me because of how uniquely I present. Though I sometimes am met with a snooty rebuff at high-end restaurants and hotel meeting spaces where most are professionally attired in the business suit and tie, khaki and polo uniform. But inside their pretentious minds I know they're envious, and wish they could hold the space of standing out in a crowd as well as I do!!
Maybe if more individual freedom and liberty types had the gumption to assert their freedom and liberty and stand out with color and style more people's curiosities would be piqued and minds would be inspired to embrace their own uniqueness? I wonder.
I love this story!
And to your last question, yes, I think it would, as your travel experience at least partially demonstrated.
And as to the Pirate Party…I don't mean to be a party pooper, but calling oneself an anarchist and then supporting socialized medicine is rather clueless. Well hey, at least they're not 100% communist.
I was born and raised 0-12 in a hood-adjacent neighborhood. A block away the public housing projects started. I'd hear sirens all the time, see police tape, walked in on a murder scene that hadn't been fully cleaned up yet, while still in elementary school. My face didn't look like most of the faces in my classrooms. And my classmates and neighborhood kids were my friends.
I know how to carry myself in the hood. Have taken that awareness and ventured into "unsafe" parts of cities like Bogota, by myself, and been fine. In my style as described above. And people smile, engage, normal humaning, but more open and non-threatening even in "dangerous" places. I've gone back to the neighborhood I grew up in, visited the Flea (market) that was the place to go. Welcomed, given thumbs up, warm conversations. The most recent time I did this was in 2021, many were still wearing masks, I wasn't. But people would engage.
And more than a few conversations at the time went to masks. A surprising number would even remove their masks during/after our conversations. Not many, but some. And any was a victory to me at the time. Even when I go out in venues where my friends of color see me in my color style I get smiles, head nods and thumbs ups, along with the occasional verbal compliment. Because I have style, not vanilla. And in certain communities pale faces with vanilla attire aren't trusted. I think it has something to do with Malcolm X's warnings about white folk that doesn't apply to how I present.
Traveling in South America I was able to go into high end nightclubs and bars that had dress codes for locals while I dressed hippie-Latin. I'd like to think it was because I was stylin' so much I exceeded their dress code standards. But some locals informed me it was because I was an American, they weren't used to American tourists there and liked that I wanted to be there, my curious attire wasn't the disqualifier it would've been for locals. Who knows.
It's also a camouflage in plain sight of bourgeoise society. The things I'll overhear from people in positions of power and authority over business power lunches, dinners and drinks that they'd be more cautious about saying if I was dressed like them have been valuable and actionable for my own benefit. It's oddly disarming, defenses go down. Little do they know.
It's an interesting phenomenon that standing out is the perfect camouflage to weave seamlessly through most every strata of society. Truly hiding in plain sight. Though the Black-tie affairs of clanking glasses and ego stroking are off limits unless I wear the costume. But I did that for more than two decades. And don't miss it.
"The things I'll overhear from people in positions of power and authority over business power lunches, dinners and drinks that they'd be more cautious about saying if I was dressed like them have been valuable and actionable for my own benefit."
—I never thought of that. Cool!
The misunderestimations our visual shortcuts are prone to. Related to the Columbo effect. The bumbling police investigator who the suspects think is clueless.
"Oh, just one more thing…"
I love your attitude! I wear flowers in my hair and whatever colours suit my energy of the day, and bugger what anyone else thinks is 'stylish'. Most people smile to see me, which delights me.
Should you ever be in Buenos Aires, drinks are on me.
It’s amazing you are talking about colors. My house has always been a Slate Blue color. It’s a Cabot’s oil stain, OVT (old Virginia Tint). I have to admit it’s a great color. My neighbor was painting her house, right next door, and the guy primed the house the same color as mine. I saw the wife one day and asked her, that’s not the color your painting, it looks identical to mine. She said I like the color of your house, why don’t you change it!! I couldn’t believe my ears, I said Karen when I sell my house I’ll tell the new owners that your house is part of my property because they look the same ok?? She ended up painting it grey. Since then 6 neighbors have painted or sided their houses the same or close to my color, I can’t believe my eyes!! It’s almost like people’s brains have been destroyed. With the thousands of colors they have all chose this same blue color it’s dumbfounding. There used to be individuality when it came to your house color. There was an etiquette to make your house yours. I look at these people and feel like I’m living around morons, no offense to morons. I went to work on Saturday. As I drove up the street a house was being sided with the same exact blue color, very close to mine, I can’t believe my eyes. Today there is no etiquette left.
It is the dark side of our nature as an ultra-social species. And then within that context, a large portion of the population simply use fitting in with the herd as their primary survival strategy.
A lot of them probably don't even know they are doing it.
When I lived in upstate NY we bought an old Victorian house all completely painted white. I painted it the foundation a dark green and the achitectural details in a medium and lighter green with plum purple trim. It was fabulous. People walking by would compliment it. The architecture was made for bold color.
Victorians do lend themselves to colorful pastel paint jobs. My parents live in a Queen Anne like that.
Even pop music is bland and uninteresting , also billionares homes generally look similar no originality
If I were a billionaires, you can be danged sure my home would be unique!
The anarcho palace I presume
Ha.
I actually have a floor plan in mind, which I have been thinking about (and slowly refining) for my adult life.
A current example I could definitely say is at my work .. those of us who are full time / salaried have black while the part timers do red so I always accent it with an undershirt that’s colorful or have a necklace or something to make it less neutral .. it’s true that they actually want you to be okay with grey . But I am not okay with it at all
And they do not have a problem with your accenting?
Did any fellow readers ever visit East Berlin before The Wall came down? Imagine an entire dusty city presented in shades of gray. That’s what it was like. Driving from Bahrain across the causeway to Saudi Arabia is similar - dusty with shades of beige. Fiat used to have fun colors. I had a light blue 500e; the missus still drives her arancia (orange) 500x. She can always find it in a parking lot. Give us non-metallic colored cars any day.
Yes, six years before the Berlin Wall fell I was with a bus load of family and we crossed from the west into the east. At the border armed guards boarded our bus. One family member took a picture of the armed guards and had her camera confiscated. On both sides we were driving through rural areas. On the west side, nicely painted houses, manicured lawns with colorful flower boxes everywhere. We crossed into the east and the change was unforgettable. Houses were concrete block gray. Yards were overgrown and often cluttered with broken down cars. Not a single house had flowers in flower boxes underneath their windows. The year was 1983. We returned to the States for the 1984 election. The election choice was between Reagan and Mondale, a managed dichotomy designed to assure the centralization of power in Washington DC regardless of who won. I voted for David Bergland.
We were in East Berlin at almost the same time. My impressions matched yours. My visit was in 1984 for the Berlin Marathon - my one and only marathon and an unforgettable experience. I was required to wear my Class A uniform into East Berlin - resulting in an interesting encounter with Soviet or East German junior officers in front of a museum - I played it up, walking into the museum holding my little son's hand.
❤️
I have never been to Germany, but I was in the USSR the month that the coup happened (8/91). So I got to see some of it firsthand.
I just ran across this piece from Instapundit, and boy, this is something that's been driving me nuts too! Driving along I will comment on it... grey grey grey grey white white grey black BLUE grey grey grey .... And so many of them bland flavorless Toyotas , too. I just don't get why people would want to spend so much on something so completely boring.
I go the opposite... I have my VW Beetle. I had a 98 one which was black. (Because that's what was in stock), but my other cars were always colorful. then when it died, I got a 2018 one and was overjoyed that they made one in this lovely deep green color (FINALLY). I bought it , and since then have only ever seen 2 more like it on the road. I get SO MANY COMPLIMENTS on it it's ridiculous. Like the person wrote below about their blue car, people call out to me in the parking lot. "I like your car! Great color!" Several times they;'ve beeped at me on the road and made me roll down my window, and I think "uh oh", but then they just say "Your car looks so cool! I love the color!" I see several people taking photos. And i just have to think, YOU could do that too! go buy a nicely colored vehicle!
Right on, well said, and I would be one of the people thanking you. Even if I don't like the color, I thank people for having something unique.
And as you say, it shouldn't even be unique. Come alive, people!
Hey, my colourful friend! 🧡
It's good to remember that here is not everywhere. As I've been looking at real estate in Mexico I'm astounded by the COLOURS they use in paint, textiles, pottery, tiles, etc. It's all so incredibly colourful. It's no wonder I'm drawn to go there!
So far, the story seems to be that people in warmer climates use more color and vice versa…
I can see that! It's a wonder that colder climes wouldn't evoke a desire for the warmth that colour provides.
Yeah, that's what I was thinking too.
Workers on Maoist communes all wore identical dark blue.
Oh, you're right—changing to reflect. Thank you!
I don’t know if anyone has said this already but interior design/decor/furniture and paints have gone the way of grays or massive amounts of white. Blacks are also “in”.
Ick. I really dislike cold colors in interior design. A lot!
Honestly, I think the Cabal has been planning this homogenized world for a while now. As you point out, you can find it in most places.
Then we must resist/escape.
Yes. On both counts, I do believe it will be necessary in the not too distant future.
I hope we're ready.
Ad- land. Many are influenced by ads and advertorials where everything is white, all so that the product being advertised or photographed is more defined/ showcased.
I see bland and dull colors as boring and depressing. When I look around and see vivid colors, I see a world which is alive and thriving. Although I may not want a house painted in jewel tone colors (sapphire, emerald, ruby, etc…) I love cars and clothing which are bright and vivacious. Conformity imo is used to kill individual expression; but we were all created as unique individuals. Therefore, rather than blending in, I embrace the choice to stand out.
Sharing!
So True Christopher and thank you for this!
Italy, like many countries, has many beautiful cities, towns and villages with gorgeous pastel colored houses that bring a smile and also of stone but with wonderful colored accents such as doors - windows -balconies. After WWII the ugliest apartment complexes were built - just cement lumps. Interestingly that is where most of the crime is. Besides lots of people on top of each other in a small area but when you add the lifeless colorless concreteness to it has to be Spirit destroying. Thankfully many beautify and personalize their balconies (Often enough plants to be a virtual garden) and interiors to bring in some joy.
When my son bought his first new car he bought an orangie Chevy Cobalt which had real vibrancy and personality.
Good for your son!!
And yes, the grayness must take a toll on the spirit. I think the strong reaction here demonstrates that too.
Maybe we could start a trend of colorful doors…??
Interesting Exposure:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ptfv-6EJAYw
OMG this is fantastic!
:) !!! Did you write his script?
People are waking up to the truth!
Thankfully!
BTW: I will be painting my door orange sometime very soon!