Picture Perfect

“If we are inclined to forget how much there is in the world besides what we are left to anticipate, then works of art are to perhaps to blame, for in them we find the same process of simplification or selection at work as in the imagination.” –De Botton

I always understood that nothing I experienced on this trip would be what I anticipated, but I never realized how often an example like De Botton gives would occur. For instance, this weekend, we had two excursions. One was to a castle, and the other to a concentration camp. At the castle, the first thing we were all struck by was the fact that part of the castle was under construction. This did not go in accordance to how I imagined castles to be. I imagined the castle to be a shining example of a beauty from another era. Instead, I was partially given an image from what my imagination had given me (stemming mostly like De Botton says, from works of art), and partially an image of modernity from my own times.

In all the pictures I took of the castle, I made sure to block all the construction out. By this action, I continued the myth of the perfectly preserved castle. These pictures could go forth and fool others. No one who looks at my photos will suspect anything other than a picturesque castle on a hilltop. Through my actions, I have furthered the action of anticipation for what a castle “should” look like. Even though I was partially let down by the castle (due to my overly anticipating it), I wasn’t about to let anyone who stalked my photos on facebook be let down due to their imaginations as well.

Still, despite the fact that I was let down at first due to my anticipation, the castle was still enjoyable. In fact, I enjoyed certain parts of the castle quite a bit, simply because I didn’t expect them to be there. It was due to my surprise over them that I enjoyed it so much. If I had anticipated and expected to see these aspects, I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed them as much due to my expectations. In this, anticipation (and the fact that people forget that there’s more to what they imagine) can be both a blessing and a curse. You will be let down, yet also pleasantly surprised.