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Culture War Roundup for the week of May 15, 2023

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A bit different angle of culture (and maybe culture war?)

The new Bill Gates' house.

This guy has all the money. He could have built pretty much any house people can build. He chose to build that. Do you think it's beautiful? Would you dream, if you became wealthy beyond your wildest dreams, one day live in a house like that? If you don't think it's beautiful (I must admit I don't) - is this example for all of us that material possessions are not that important and you can spend a wild amount of money, get an ugly house and still be happy with it?

Looks good. A cursory look around on google maps says that it fits with the surrounding esthetics. What would you build if you had the money of Bill Gates? I've never understood people that like neoclassical buildings in the US, to me they all look phoney, poseur, out of place, lacking in originality.

Not all beautiful buildings need be neoclassical.

Sure. The point I was trying to make is that it has to fit with its surrounding.