The Thinking Behind Adolf Loos’ Works
(summary from his essay, Ornament and Crime, written 1908)
The Papuan slaughters his enemies and devours them,
He is not a criminal.
But, if a Modern person slaughters his enemies and devours them,
He is a criminal.
People were depressed because they could no longer create new ornament.
I was thinking of bringing joy to the world.
Therefore, the evolution of culture is synonymous with the removal of ornamentation from objects of everyday use.
The greatness of our age is the inability to create new ornament.
We have gone beyond ornament.
We have achieved plain, undecorated, and simplicity.
Ornament is not a source of increased pleasure in life.
Though, it is beatutiful.
I have reasons.
It leads to the waste of human labour.
Health is wasted.
Both, waste of money.
Materials are also abused.
The damage of time can not be repaired.
Ornament is no longer expression of our culture.
Ornament is a symptom of backwardness or degeneracy.
Ornament is a criminal.
Ornament can no longer be produced by someone living on the cultural today.
Lack of ornamentation is a sign of intellectual strength.
