cyberjesus
Yes, we fear the unknown, however there are many unknown things that we do not fear. Why are some toys with infants and toddlers a hit? and others they are scared of? Both the toys they enjoy and the toys they are scared of are new to them and unknown.
Why do we enjoy the taste of some foods and not others? There is the nature and nurture aspect (we enjoy eating what our ancestors ate to survive, we eat what those around us like to eat) however there are times we stray away from this: My brother and I LOVE Indian food. We do not have any known ancestors in our linage who are Indian. Our parents never fed us Indian food growing up. Some of our family and some of our friends do not like Indian food (My aunt hates it). How did my brother and I come to like it?
You say you do not like Sunsets for some hidden beauty, that putting meaning behind it was a conscious decision...
I also enjoy Sunsets for no particular or specific reason... and I enjoy them independent of what others think (some people don't like them because it reminds them of the pollution: a lot of gas in the air can make some beautiful pinks and purples, there can be other reasons that people do not like sunsets...).
AFTER I see them I see meaning. I'm struck at their beauty I appreciate my life: that I get to enjoy such experiences and enjoy beauty, and the common experience of being human.
WhereWasI
Very well put.