ruminations about architecture and design

Saturday, August 7, 2010

this blog is completely subjective also

Huff Post frequently runs photo series features that take the form of "The top ten..." It is an entertaining and wonderfully trivial thing that may or may not justify its advertising revenue (more on the subject of the Internet failure to monetize after these important messages).

They ran a recent series entitled "The Top Ten Most Beautiful College Campuses in America" It had photographs that were generally unremarkable and there were a few colleges that I had never heard of. Shortly thereafter they published "The Most Unattractive College Campuses in America" It had a string of photographs that were as unremarkable as the previous posting.

Where did this information come from? What survey criteria were used? What are the implications for potential future enrollment at both sets of colleges? What will be the financial and psychological impact of this vital and groundbreaking research?
Oh, think of the children! And yet, I am guilty of subsribing to this type of judgment. The winds of fashion blow east and west. Some of what we consider to be exceptional will eventually be considered ordinary, unless someone finds a way to effectively advocate for its elevation in status.

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