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)
