Realized capacities are pleasing not only when they are exercised, but also
when they are seen to be exercised. Or to recast the first two-thirds of the
Aristotelian principle: Human beings enjoy watching the exercise of the realized
capacities of their species, and this enjoyment increases the more the capacity is realized.
To be in the presence of greatness is exciting, even when we are not
capable of appreciating all the nuances of the achievement. The best has a
magic about it, whether we are eating a meal cooked by a great chef, watching
a great athlete perform under pressure, or witnessing anything done
superbly well, far beyond our own reach.
Now comes the last clause of the Aristotelian principle: “. . . or the
greater its complexity.” The depth of gratification we get from watching people
perform at the pinnacle increases as the difficulty and importance of what
they are doing increases.
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