Of Tripod and Palate

Harmless Bodily Pleasures are Moralized Because They are Perceived as Reducing Self-Control and Cooperativeness

“…They morally condemn pleasures such as gluttony (Hill, 2011), alcohol, gambling (Lugo et al, 2013), hedonism (Goenka & Thomas, 2022), masturbation (Haidt et al, 1993), and reluctance to work needlessly (Celniker et al, 2022;Tierney et al, 2021). These puritanical values recur in moral traditions around the world, from Islam (Lugo et al, 2013) to Hinduism (Doniger, 2014) to Buddhism (Sterckx, 2005) to Christianity (Hill, 2011) to Chinese religions (Yü, 2021), as well as in spiritual wisdoms of ancient Rome and Greece (Gaca, 2003). Why do people, across so many societies and historical periods, construe harmless bodily pleasure as intrinsically sinful?…”

Harmless bodily pleasures are moralized because they are perceived as reducing self-control and cooperativeness

“…In many societies, people moralize immoderate indulgence in seemingly victimless bodily pleasures, such as food, sex, alcohol, gambling, or laziness; and regard restraint, temperance, and self-discipline as fundamental moral virtues (Dabhoiwala, 2012;Glucklich, 2020;Haidt, 2012;Haidt & Graham, 2007). Such puritanical values are found across the most widespread world religions, from Christian morality (e.g., the "deadly sins" of gluttony, lust, and sloth; Le Goff, 1984;Newhauser & Ridyard, 2012;Sweeney, 2012) to Hinduism (Doniger, 2014), Buddhism (Sterckx, 2005), Islam (Garden, 2014;Mernissi, 2011;Michalak & Trocki, 2006), Chinese religions (Nylan, 2011;Yü, 2021) and Ancient Greco-Roman spiritualities (Gaca, 2003;Langlands, 2006).…”