In my view, the difference between romantic and classical thinking is the difference between judging an experience based on how it makes you feel versus what really happened. Judging experience based on feelings is the romantic approach. Judging experience based on what really happened is the classical approach. I think that everybody thinks in both classical and romantic ways depending on the situation. For example, the more you have a technical understanding of a particular situation, the more likele it is that you will evaluate your experiences in a classical way. On the other hand, if you find yourself in a situation where you have very little technical understanding of what's going on, you're more likely to evaluate your experience just based on how it makes you feel.
I know this to be true in my own experience. For example, when I'm watching sporting events where the game is won that I have played competitively, I am aware of the mechanics involved in each play. I make a point of watching all the professional soccer that I can fit in when a great goal is scored or a save is made, I tend to see exactly the mechanics of the play and take it apart piece by piece in my mind. I also find myself becoming elated by a great play, which is the romantic view. In contrast, when my mom makes me go to an art gallery and I look at the paintings or sculptures, I don't fully understand how what I'm looking at was created. As a result, my evaluation of what I see is limited to how a work of art impresses me. I know that this is really just a personal point of view, either I like it or I don't, it's funny or it's not, it's beautiful or it's not. I have no clue how difficult it was to create, how long it took, or what materials were required. I am unable to think about works of art in a classical way because I don't have a technical understanding.
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