[tchaffee]

Considering how important asthetics are to Italian culture - bela figura is an idiom that is used often, and Milan is the fashion capitol of the world - the poor people of Italy not only realize they are surrounded by beautiful patterns but they can also point them out and explain why they are efficient and / or useful. The discovery may have been organic, but in the land of Da Vinci don't underestimate just how intentional many design decisions are. And just how cultured and aware the average person is there, regardless of income. The impression one gets after many years living in that culture, is that it is in no way a new thing.