In the ‘Lotus Eaters’ thread, there has emerged a line of criticism that holds me to be hypocritical. Why? Because I cite that passage of The Odyssey, in which Odysseus’s mariners are tempted to stay on an island where lotus-eating makes them tranquil and mellow and forgetful of all their troubles and responsibilities, as containing a lesson for our own time. While the dream of lotus-eating is always a temptation, given human nature, our wealth, technology, and modern culture (in particular the loss of a Christian vision) make it especially tempting for us.
The claim is that I’m a hypocrite because I supposedly look down on sexual pleasure, while celebrating gustatorial delight with all my food blogging. This judgment is based on a couple of misunderstandings.
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