For some reason, a friendly area resident, Mr. Jono Sei, has developed a penchant for seeking us out for the purpose of posing “deep questions” to us. Conceivably, we should, be flattered by his (unsupported) reverence, however, there are times when we are, by reason of our neighborly efforts at compliance, made to suffer a self-conscious and uncomfortable sense of contrition. Recently Mr. Sei posed the following extraordinary question: “Why is it that none of the many colors of the forest happen to clash?” After a moment’s thought, we came up with our response, notwithstanding the fact that, while he did not seem to easily comprehend, felt, accurate: “The reason the colors do not ‘clash,’ is that the appearance is consistent with your life experience, in observing forests.”
From a scientific viewpoint, our visual capabilities are based upon the transfer of light stimuli received through the eyes resulting in visual perception. The visual system detects light in the retina of each eye that generates electrical nerve impulses for the perception of color and light. Vision occurs when light is processed by the eye and, functionally, interpreted by the brain. It is our theme that the images generated by such scientific or organic bodily vision are then perceived in a discretionary or judicial context, based on prior life experience
Indeed, it is our view, that colors and, especially, the combination of colors, are evaluated by Man, for his aesthetic acceptance or rejection, by virtue of his learned, empirical experience. In this context, and in support of the present theme, we would again refer to the pronouncements of the English empirical philosopher, John Locke. Locke declared that Man is born with a “tabula rasa,” a clean slate, and that all of his knowledge is derived from his (empirical) experience.
Accordingly, it is our view that by example, Man’s daily experience with the color and style of attire determines their subjective acceptability. The discretion on the part of the individual, is commonly a (shared) communal one, based on the degree of his desired effort at compliance with the styles and colors, learned, by observation, to be situationally and contemporaneously, appropriate in his society. In sum, it is a matter of his social experience, as opposed to his visual physiology, that is the determinant of his choice.
White, blue, or striped shirts with tie and jacket, midnight blue tuxedos and full dress outfits, blue jeans with short sleeves or “T” shirts, high heels with dressy gowns, denim colored overalls for farmers, gardeners, and mechanics, white jackets for medical or nursing professions, space suits for astronauts, white aprons for butchers and fish sellers, yellow raincoats for firemen, gray or brown tweed jackets for male history, sociology or philosophy professors, blue uniforms for policemen, black robes for judges, white outfits for bakers, black suits for funeral directors and elder- age mourners, orange suits for imprisoned criminals, V- neck sweaters for college sophomores, bow ties for elderly pharmacists and barbers, tan raincoats for movie detectives, berets for movie directors, are archetypical and stereotypic, assisting the empirical or traditional identification of (the assertion of) personal identity or function. As an illustrative example, it would be discomfiting to observe a surgical operation being performed by an individual in a fireman’s hat and waterproof raincoat.
It would pragmatically appear that the observance of the characteristic stylistic or experiential costume and color is a non-verbal assertion of status or individualized persona. The salient point is that common, societal experience is the effective determinant of recognizable and acceptable propriety. It may be said that the identical dynamic is operative, as well, in the case of our other human senses.
The forest looks the way it eternally has, consequentially, its nuanced combination of colors is perceived to be appropriate. The maître de at an expensive restaurant wears a tuxedo; brown does not look best with purple; and cream cheese is best enjoyed on bagels, all in consonance with the declarations of empiricist Englishman, John Locke; the latter individual, (unfortunately for him) having been born long before the praiseworthy, and gastronomically impactful, advent of the bagel.
-p.
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