moderate
conservative hedonism", "mch" for
short, is a term used to broadly describe the weltanschauung -- sociopolitical & otherwise --of any well-bred gentleman, scholar, bonvivant, & gourmand before the death of old europe.
mch is characterized by a propensity for the general enjoyment of life. -- within a certain moderation, Μηδὲν ἄγαν, & with a keen eye for the tradition.
though the mch outlook has declined since the death of old europe, some men, like roberto calasso or
gerard depardieu, remain true to the old ways.
expressions of mch in the heritage of europe are too numerous to count, though here is a list of some quintessentials:
wine, the delphic maxims,
cheese, decadent plates of cold cuts,
fruit, & marzipan, observance of the faith, rococo painting & second empire furniture, death in venice, sonnets to the fishermen of capri, a gallon of beer a day, hatred of taxes, an aloof & cosmopolitan view of things (in particular in matters culinary & poetic), the
study of botany, ornithology, monteverdi's madrigals, chess, collections of old cookbooks, gambling (but not too much), an interest in pencils, coffeehouse brawling, orientalism, a fine assortment of various rare teas, liberatory
book theft, quoting vauvenargues at the
cute cashier in the store, hiking, opening a beauty salon in the ruins of the
lotus-land, foie gras for breakfast.
Si bene qui cenat bene vivit, lucet, eamus
quo ducit gula, piscemur, venemur!
(Horace)
