Today’s market suggests that, for many of us, the perceived prestige of enormity takes precedence over design and even structural integrity when choos — sing a home. It seems that even a shoddy status symbol, with its expansive vinyl walls and snap-on plastic window grills, can somehow connote distinction. The finer qualities of design have become as difficult to market as they are to achieve, so they are being replaced by highly-prized square footage.
Just as something is typically appreciated as good or beautiful when it is deemed necessary, it will be condemned as ugly or evil when it is considered pointless. Under the right circumstances, murder becomes heroism and trash turns into treasure. The distinction between valuables and garbage is based primarily on our notions of utility. What two people see as beautiful will vary as much as what they consider to be useful.
Accordingly, the selfish squandering of valuable resources and the emission of toxins without any worthwhile purpose are always corrupt and unsightly. Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but an oversized house is an ugliness we all have to contend with.
