Comments on: Pleasure, Guilt, and Talk Shows http://julieclawson.com/2008/10/21/pleasure-guilt-and-talk-shows/ incantations at the edge of uncertainty Mon, 21 May 2012 01:57:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: MIke Stavlund http://julieclawson.com/2008/10/21/pleasure-guilt-and-talk-shows/comment-page-1/#comment-3466 MIke Stavlund Thu, 23 Oct 2008 21:17:25 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/2008/10/21/pleasure-guilt-and-talk-shows/#comment-3466 oh, wow, would I ever love to see that show. I love me some Tony Bourdain. I had some similar thoughts when talking with a few friends recently about a man who bought a completely restored, absolutely gorgeous 1971 Mercedes 280SL about 9 years ago for 48K. SInce then, he put about 50K miles on it and just recently sold it back to the restorer for only a little bit more money. There was a lot of talk about conspicuous consumption and of a poor investment. But I couldn't help but admire the person who bought such a beautiful car and actually had the courage and temerity to drive it to his beach house every weekend in the summer. I mean sure, it's conspicuous-- there's no denying that-- but at least he enjoyed it, used it, and celebrated it. So, food for the stomach, and rare cars for driving? It may be shameful (and perhaps sinful), but at least these folks know how to enjoy themselves. oh, wow, would I ever love to see that show. I love me some Tony Bourdain.

I had some similar thoughts when talking with a few friends recently about a man who bought a completely restored, absolutely gorgeous 1971 Mercedes 280SL about 9 years ago for 48K. SInce then, he put about 50K miles on it and just recently sold it back to the restorer for only a little bit more money. There was a lot of talk about conspicuous consumption and of a poor investment. But I couldn't help but admire the person who bought such a beautiful car and actually had the courage and temerity to drive it to his beach house every weekend in the summer. I mean sure, it's conspicuous– there's no denying that– but at least he enjoyed it, used it, and celebrated it.

So, food for the stomach, and rare cars for driving? It may be shameful (and perhaps sinful), but at least these folks know how to enjoy themselves.

]]> By: The Margins » Who cares? http://julieclawson.com/2008/10/21/pleasure-guilt-and-talk-shows/comment-page-1/#comment-3461 The Margins » Who cares? Wed, 22 Oct 2008 17:34:46 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/2008/10/21/pleasure-guilt-and-talk-shows/#comment-3461 [...] made reading this feel a bit discouraging. I came to Jordon’s post via a comment on Julie Clawson’s post discussing the pleasure-driven realities of $1,800 dinner tabs, and I realized that as much as I [...] [...] made reading this feel a bit discouraging. I came to Jordon's post via a comment on Julie Clawson's post discussing the pleasure-driven realities of $1,800 dinner tabs, and I realized that as much as I [...]

]]> By: Karl http://julieclawson.com/2008/10/21/pleasure-guilt-and-talk-shows/comment-page-1/#comment-3460 Karl Wed, 22 Oct 2008 16:50:22 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/2008/10/21/pleasure-guilt-and-talk-shows/#comment-3460 Haven't the extremes of hedonism and asceticism been around for a long time? Each culture just has a different way of expressing them, and may tend more toward one extreme or the other. As for a 3rd way, scripture and historic Christianity have some good and healthy things to say about neither extreme being the answer - even if many individual Christians and Christian communities have missed it. Haven't the extremes of hedonism and asceticism been around for a long time? Each culture just has a different way of expressing them, and may tend more toward one extreme or the other.

As for a 3rd way, scripture and historic Christianity have some good and healthy things to say about neither extreme being the answer – even if many individual Christians and Christian communities have missed it.

]]> By: Maria http://julieclawson.com/2008/10/21/pleasure-guilt-and-talk-shows/comment-page-1/#comment-3458 Maria Wed, 22 Oct 2008 15:37:21 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/2008/10/21/pleasure-guilt-and-talk-shows/#comment-3458 I think it's a sad commentary on our society that pleasure gets linked with expense and indulgence. The middle ground has to include simple pleasures -- and I wonder if we have pretty much forgotten how to enjoy them. Simple, wholesome food (produced without torturing animals or exploiting people if possible) prepared with love and shared with friends and family sounds a whole lot more appealing than an overpriced restaurant. Though it might not make better TV. I think it's a sad commentary on our society that pleasure gets linked with expense and indulgence. The middle ground has to include simple pleasures — and I wonder if we have pretty much forgotten how to enjoy them. Simple, wholesome food (produced without torturing animals or exploiting people if possible) prepared with love and shared with friends and family sounds a whole lot more appealing than an overpriced restaurant. Though it might not make better TV.

]]> By: karen http://julieclawson.com/2008/10/21/pleasure-guilt-and-talk-shows/comment-page-1/#comment-3457 karen Wed, 22 Oct 2008 14:32:08 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/2008/10/21/pleasure-guilt-and-talk-shows/#comment-3457 btw - going along (sorta) with this post - whaddya think about <a href="http://news.aol.com/elections/article/rnc-spends-150000-on-palin-clothes/221230" rel="nofollow">this?</A> btw – going along (sorta) with this post – whaddya think about this?

]]> By: Kristen http://julieclawson.com/2008/10/21/pleasure-guilt-and-talk-shows/comment-page-1/#comment-3456 Kristen Wed, 22 Oct 2008 14:28:40 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/2008/10/21/pleasure-guilt-and-talk-shows/#comment-3456 Have you ever seen/read "Babette's Feast"? You probably have, but it always bears repeating. I think that gets the balance right. There is great joy in God's good creation and our own role as creators but it is in the context of gratitude and generosity rather than self-indulgence. Have you ever seen/read "Babette's Feast"? You probably have, but it always bears repeating. I think that gets the balance right. There is great joy in God's good creation and our own role as creators but it is in the context of gratitude and generosity rather than self-indulgence.

]]> By: karen http://julieclawson.com/2008/10/21/pleasure-guilt-and-talk-shows/comment-page-1/#comment-3455 karen Wed, 22 Oct 2008 12:36:22 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/2008/10/21/pleasure-guilt-and-talk-shows/#comment-3455 Life is meant to be lived and enjoyed. Somehow that got corrupted. Even the words "living" and "enjoy" became corrupted and misappropriated, and everyone started grabbing more than their share of the good life. If we'd only just enjoy the simple things - the good things, be it food, friends, a gorgeous sunset or the occasional splurge... <i>Living</i> in the moment with an eye to the future, enjoying all the blessings and gifts we have isn't wrong. We just need to be sure we share the joy and make life better for those in need. I'm sure there would be no joy in my life if I enjoyed something <i>at the expense</i> of others...even if sometimes I think I would. Moderation - in all things. I keep forgetting to watch the show..... Life is meant to be lived and enjoyed. Somehow that got corrupted. Even the words "living" and "enjoy" became corrupted and misappropriated, and everyone started grabbing more than their share of the good life. If we'd only just enjoy the simple things – the good things, be it food, friends, a gorgeous sunset or the occasional splurge…
Living in the moment with an eye to the future, enjoying all the blessings and gifts we have isn't wrong. We just need to be sure we share the joy and make life better for those in need. I'm sure there would be no joy in my life if I enjoyed something at the expense of others…even if sometimes I think I would.
Moderation – in all things.

I keep forgetting to watch the show…..

]]> By: Danny http://julieclawson.com/2008/10/21/pleasure-guilt-and-talk-shows/comment-page-1/#comment-3453 Danny Wed, 22 Oct 2008 04:50:40 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/2008/10/21/pleasure-guilt-and-talk-shows/#comment-3453 I think that the great quest of the Christian life is to begin to care about others so completely that we really do ask the questions that these New York Elite ask, but answer in the opposite direction. Jordon Cooper just wrote a very intriguing blog about this very issue. Do we even care? http://www.jordoncooper.com/2008/10/21/no-one-really-cares-that-much/ I think that the great quest of the Christian life is to begin to care about others so completely that we really do ask the questions that these New York Elite ask, but answer in the opposite direction.

Jordon Cooper just wrote a very intriguing blog about this very issue. Do we even care?

http://www.jordoncooper.com/2008/10/21/no-one-really-cares-that-much/

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