Substance vs Surface

Aesthetics is the study of the mind and emotions in relation to the sense of beauty. This philosophy is very well explained in Virginia Postrel¡¯s essay, ¡°Surface and Substance¡±. In the essay, Postrel challenges the separation of surface and substance with examples of acts of consumptions, which she describes as an engagement with beauty. There are many reasons that drive people towards consumptions. It is important to be socially accepted, even if it requires changing the way one looks. Some might turn to consumptions, and buy nicer or more expensive clothes just to feel fit in. Trend is another reason people have to turn to consumptions. Manufacturers limit the freedom for an individual to choose things that can express himself. It is because they only make products that serve as an aesthetic pleasure for consumers. This also causes competitions among consumers, which also affect the way people feel about consumptions. Competitions make people turn to fancier clothes or better technology just to stand out from the crowd. Although Postrel suggests that the two are related, there are other factors involved that show surface and substance should be separated. Even though other may judge the substance by the surface, the surface does not define the substance. Many tend to judge things only based on their surface, but everyone define the same surface differently. Therefore, the judgments are different according to each person¡¯s opinion. Consumption is only a result of social acceptance, trend and competition; therefore, it limits the possibilities for individuals to express themselves.
The need to get social acceptance can drive an individual toward aesthetic materials. Postrel states in her essay, ¡°We judge people, places, and things at least on part by how they look¡± (425). People in this modern society tend to judge others by their appearances, even though they do not necessarily represent their identities. It is important for an individual