On the role of experts in creating personal belief systems.

[AFK]

I think it is probably more of a function of the type of person who would tend to get into such a field. 

[Cainad (dec.)]

I know, I'm just being grumpy and flippant because it's been a year. Stupid Geology.

[AFK]

See, I had it made because I had one foot in the arts and one foot in science.  Though, in all honesty, once you added alcohol into the mix, majors went out the window.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

I know, I'm just being grumpy and flippant because it's been a year. Stupid Geology.

Rocks aren't even really a science, and shit.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

But seriously, at this point there's no way of knowing whether the type of person who's into arts is more sexual, or whether getting into arts makes you more sexual.

[AFK]

And then there is the whole quantity vs quality debate.  Maybe artists are having MORE sex but are they having BETTER sex? 

[The Good Reverend Roger]

The human appreciation for art in all its forms doesn't have - to my knowledge - any survival value, so I am at present assuming that there's more to the story than just biology.

A quick note on this:
(Apologies: I have nothing, no articles or anything, to back up what I'm about to say. This is all from memory.)

Certain things that humans crave fall outside of survival value, but are still related to it. For example: we crave sweets and fats and this guides us to eat what our bodies need. But there are certain tastes and smells that trigger this to an extreme, beyond survival value, but they stem from those same nerves. Example: cheesecake is fatty and sugary and super delicious, and with no knowledge of nutrition, one might be compelled to eat only cheesecake over a more nutritious but less stimulating food.

This impulse to be attracted to super-stimuli (a word that I may have just made up) can extend to all of our senses. Certain sounds are more or less desirable for survival reasons, and so a sonic super-stimuli like music would be like cheesecake for the ears. Likewise with visual art, where we are attracted to certain angles and colors for survival reasons, but a particularly aesthetic painting might be like eye cheesecake.

Of course, this is just theoretic, some food for thought. Many evolutionary ideas are not falsifiable, and this idea certainly falls under that category.

Hmmm interesting idea.
That would make art anti-fitness, like cheescake. Or a peacock's tail.
It is easy to test if it is like a peacock's tail.
Do artists get laid more? If yes, then art has a mayor survival benefit. It is sexy.

I am not sure if there are any scientific studies on this, but if I can base anything on my own personal experience and observation of those around me, yes, artists get laid wayyyyyyy more.

Performers, definitely.
But for some reason an image of Van Gogh mailing his ear to a prostitute popped in my head. He could be an aberration, though. 

Artists are also nuts.

[Anna Mae Bollocks]

Yep.

I think it is probably more of a function of the type of person who would tend to get into such a field. 

But the talent and temperament seem hardwired, it's not something you pick.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Yep.

I think it is probably more of a function of the type of person who would tend to get into such a field. 

But the talent and temperament seem hardwired, it's not something you pick.

THIS THIS THIS.  And there's nothing more annoying than the people who fake it.  Hipsters, neo-hippies, Pagan "artistes", and ALMOST EVERY SINGLE PERSON on Deviantart.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Yep.

I think it is probably more of a function of the type of person who would tend to get into such a field. 

But the talent and temperament seem hardwired, it's not something you pick.

THIS THIS THIS.  And there's nothing more annoying than the people who fake it.  Hipsters, neo-hippies, Pagan "artistes", and ALMOST EVERY SINGLE PERSON on Deviantart.

Yeah, but they put out. Don't discourage them.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Yep.

I think it is probably more of a function of the type of person who would tend to get into such a field. 

But the talent and temperament seem hardwired, it's not something you pick.

THIS THIS THIS.  And there's nothing more annoying than the people who fake it.  Hipsters, neo-hippies, Pagan "artistes", and ALMOST EVERY SINGLE PERSON on Deviantart.

Yeah, but they put out. Don't discourage them.

Have you SEEN these people?  Nigel, you are the kind of person who can get damn near anyone you want.  Why would you want 400 pound people wearing trip pants?

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Yep.

I think it is probably more of a function of the type of person who would tend to get into such a field. 

But the talent and temperament seem hardwired, it's not something you pick.

THIS THIS THIS.  And there's nothing more annoying than the people who fake it.  Hipsters, neo-hippies, Pagan "artistes", and ALMOST EVERY SINGLE PERSON on Deviantart.

Yeah, but they put out. Don't discourage them.

Have you SEEN these people?  Nigel, you are the kind of person who can get damn near anyone you want.  Why would you want 400 pound people wearing trip pants?

Ewwwwwwww no!

Our local poseurs are at least ATTRACTIVE.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Yep.

I think it is probably more of a function of the type of person who would tend to get into such a field. 

But the talent and temperament seem hardwired, it's not something you pick.

THIS THIS THIS.  And there's nothing more annoying than the people who fake it.  Hipsters, neo-hippies, Pagan "artistes", and ALMOST EVERY SINGLE PERSON on Deviantart.

Yeah, but they put out. Don't discourage them.

Have you SEEN these people?  Nigel, you are the kind of person who can get damn near anyone you want.  Why would you want 400 pound people wearing trip pants?

Ewwwwwwww no!

Our local poseurs are at least ATTRACTIVE.

Oh, well then.  Burn 'em up like cheap firewood.   

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Yep.

I think it is probably more of a function of the type of person who would tend to get into such a field. 

But the talent and temperament seem hardwired, it's not something you pick.

THIS THIS THIS.  And there's nothing more annoying than the people who fake it.  Hipsters, neo-hippies, Pagan "artistes", and ALMOST EVERY SINGLE PERSON on Deviantart.

Yeah, but they put out. Don't discourage them.

Have you SEEN these people?  Nigel, you are the kind of person who can get damn near anyone you want.  Why would you want 400 pound people wearing trip pants?

Ewwwwwwww no!

Our local poseurs are at least ATTRACTIVE.

Oh, well then.  Burn 'em up like cheap firewood.   

I'm cleaning up this city, one hipster artiste at a time.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Yep.

I think it is probably more of a function of the type of person who would tend to get into such a field. 

But the talent and temperament seem hardwired, it's not something you pick.

THIS THIS THIS.  And there's nothing more annoying than the people who fake it.  Hipsters, neo-hippies, Pagan "artistes", and ALMOST EVERY SINGLE PERSON on Deviantart.

Yeah, but they put out. Don't discourage them.

Have you SEEN these people?  Nigel, you are the kind of person who can get damn near anyone you want.  Why would you want 400 pound people wearing trip pants?

Ewwwwwwww no!

Our local poseurs are at least ATTRACTIVE.

Oh, well then.  Burn 'em up like cheap firewood.   

I'm cleaning up this city, one hipster artiste at a time.

THE HIGHWAY'S FULL OF BROKEN HIPSTERS ON A LAST CHANCE POWER DRIVE