Comment by numlock86

13 hours ago

> even compared to the synthetic materials we are now capable of creating

Aren't like almost all commercially used diamonds these days synthetic as well? As far as I can tell, other than just for the sake of them being "natural" or for having weird impurities that add color to them (read as: subjectively better to some people), no one wants/needs natural ones anymore.

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numlock86

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alberth  6 hours ago

Is “synthetic” the right word?

I thought they are “lab grown”.

(Synthetic implies non-real, when at a molecular level the lab grown are 100% real)

kulahan  13 hours ago

We can recreate lots of things, but almost always appreciate the true version better. It’s why it’s cooler to see the Mona Lisa than to see a poster print of it.

Why? As far as I can tell, other than just for the sake of the view being “natural” or having some weird color issues due to time and radiation and oxidization, nobody wants/needs the actual painting anymore.

Reason: because even when it’s identical or even inferior, the touch of nature is just… nice.

  • WalterBright  6 hours ago

    A painting has a 3 dimensional texture to the paint, while a poster is inevitably flat. Different paint compositions will also reflect light differently, while a poster won't.

    So, yeah, having the real painting has additional value.

    I wouldn't pay much for a painting anyway. I have several paintings and posters up on the walls, and they're interesting for a time, and then I just don't see them anymore. They're just part of the wall.