Cars, Beauty & Imago Dei
While in Cleveland I had the opportunity to attend the Cleveland Auto Show with Jen’s uncle David. Aside from lots of tired feet it reminded me of a recent blog post by Sam Metcalf, president of CRM, the organisation we have joined. See here for some of that post and more pictures of the beautiful cars, specifically the Chevy Camaro (above) and Audi R8 . . . Sam is describing his recent visit to the LA Auto Show.
This event is one of the largest in the world and it was an amazing educational experience. I came away with two conflicting emotions:
1. It’s incredibly difficult to understand and justify such conspicuous consumption. In a world where half of the people alive have never even used a telephone, here I was seeing and even sitting in some of the most exquisite (and expensive) vehicles ever produced. I experienced considerable emotional whiplash being surrounded by such luxury and extravagance while having been in places in the world where people are wondering where their next meal will come from. The mental juxtaposition of such extremes was jarring.
2. At the same time, the design, engineering, and creativity represented at this event was staggering. For those who are really into it, such an experience is like going to a Paris fashion show, an art gallery, or an opera. What is so amazing is that humankind—endowed with creativity as a result of the Imago Dei—could produce such machines which are, in reality, works of art.
