This is a scene from a movie called American Beauty. This young man looks at this flying plastic bag floating in the wind, uncertainty and maybe freedom are represented in it. And everybody feels differently about it. And I believe lots of people would say, oh that's just garbage. But once you take time and calm yourself down and look at it, there's some beauty out of it. Maybe I'm going nuts.
Things that are not "supposed" to be beautiful somehow make us feel this sense of fulfillment or ease. I realize there is a lot of art and music about this, such as jazz. When I listen to jazz, the tone of it is bluey, right? But you feel good. Even if you feel sad listening to it, it's not the same sadness that makes you cynical or want to blame somebody. You just simply enjoy that. And that's weird to me before. So what is beauty anyway?
I read "The Brothers Karamazov" by Dostoevsky. And he described this mean and horrible old man. And the action of him lying to people, playing as a fool is somehow beautiful to the character.
In "Wuthering Heights" by Emily Brontë, the love complexity of the characters in the novel is stupid, mean, and twisted, but we still somehow see beauty in it.
You don't have to be an artist or someone who graduated from art school to see the beauty in life.
If you want to see some explanation, here you go!
Session I: What is Beauty?
Q1: What is the definition of beauty? and how will you describe it?
Q2: Why do seemingly ordinary or unpleasant things, like a flying plastic bag, sometimes evoke feelings of awe or fulfillment?
Q3: Does slowing down and paying attention to small details change how we perceive the world around us?
Q4: Do social media, news, commercials, and celebrities affect our ideas of beauty?
Session II: Beauty in Life
Q1: Share what's beautiful to you!!! A picture?! An item?! or simply describe it?!
(Remember you don't necessarily need to understand why things are beautiful for others.)
Q2: Since you finished the first question, is it weird or awkward to describe the beauty you have seen to people, can they understand it?
Q3: Does the beauty in imperfection reflect something about our humanity?
Q4: How can we challenge ourselves to see beauty in unexpected or unconventional places? 1
Agenda:
6:45 ~ 7:00pm Greetings & Free Talk / Ordering Beverage or Meal / Getting Newcomer’s Information
7:00 ~ 7:10pm Opening Remarks / Newcomer’s Self-introduction / Grouping
(Session I)
7:10 ~ 7:45pm Discussion Session (35 mins)
7:45 ~ 8:00pm Summarization (15 mins)
8:00 ~ 8:05pm Regrouping / Instruction Giving / Taking a 5 Minutes Break (Intermission)
(Session II)
8:05 ~ 8:40pm Discussion Session (35 mins)
8:40 ~ 8:55pm Summarization (15 mins)
8:55 ~ 9:00pm Concluding Remarks / Announcements
Meeting Date: As shown on the Subject Line
Meeting Time: 7:00pm – 9:00pm
Meeting Venue: 丹堤咖啡 Dante Coffee (Minimum Order $85)
Address: 台北市濟南路三段25號[MAP]-捷運忠孝新生站3號出口步行3分鐘
Important Notes:
1. We suggest that participants read the articles and think about the questions in advance.
2. Newcomers should prepare a two-to-three-minute self-introduction in English to deliver when called upon by the host before the start of the discussion.
3. We welcome newcomers and other guests to attend the meetings and join the discussion freely for three times. After that, we hope you will consider becoming a YoYo English Club member. We charge a NT$1000 lifetime membership fee, or NT$500 for students.