This book argues that in today’s increasingly complex business world, logic and efficiency alone are insufficient to create value, and that having an “aesthetic sense—a framework for judgment”—is essential. Given the significant impact of AI on humanity, I felt this book deserves renewed reading.
📘 Synopsis
- Changes in the Business Environment
Globalization, technological advancements, and the diversification of values have created an era where there is no single right answer.
As a result, there are increasing areas where decision-making cannot be achieved through logical thinking alone. - What is an Aesthetic Sense?
According to Shu Yamaguchi, an “aesthetic sense” is
“the framework for value judgment—what one perceives as good and what one dislikes.”
This refers not only to artistic sensibility, but also to a broader concept encompassing ethics, aesthetics, and aesthetic judgment. - Why do elites cultivate their aesthetic sense?
- Logic can be learned by anyone, but aesthetic sense cannot be imitated.
- Aesthetic sense enhances the “speed and quality of judgment.”
- Business leaders need to choose the “desirable future,” not just the “right answer.”
- The emphasis on design thinking and art thinking follows the same trend.
- How to cultivate your aesthetic sense:
- Engage with art.
- Study philosophy.
- Articulate your “likes and dislikes.”
- Have time for reflection.
These are examples of activities that cultivate one’s inner self, which are considered important.
💬 Impressions
The appeal of this book lies not simply in the idea that “art is important,” but in its sharp question: “Without aesthetic sense, decision-making is impossible in today’s complex world.”
Particularly striking is the point that:
- Logic is derived from past data.
- But the future does not exist in data.
That’s why the argument that aesthetic sense—a “personal axis”—is necessary to choose the future is compelling.
Furthermore, despite being a business book, its structure, which traverses philosophy, art, and ethics, is refreshing.
For modern people tired of words like “efficiency,” “productivity,” and “KPI,”
the message to “reclaim more humane criteria for judgment” resonates deeply.
Personally, I think the point that “aesthetics are not something that can be taught, but something that must be cultivated” is particularly important.
In other words, the message that the process of refining one’s own values, rather than searching for the right answer, is the skill required of business people in the future, resonated with me.
