Food and Enjoyment
[Bruce Frohnen  03/06 10:48 AM]

In response to the emailer who wonders whether "luxury foods" are not morally hazardous: perhaps at a certain point they can become so. But at what point? I, too, drive an old Honda, because I consider the pleasures to be had from a luxury car less important than, well most things. But life is a good thing, a gift to be treasured. And food and drink are a big part of that. Natural, earthy pleasures that connect us with other people (cars certainly don't do that, and neither do i-pods) are a good. Obviously, sins like gluttony are dangers, here. But pleasure certainly isn't a bad thing and, to address the emailers central concern, while we of course have a duty to help and serve the poor, most of us would lose our sense that life is good, our connection with the dignity of ourselves and others, perhaps our very sanity, if we did not take the goods of this life and enjoy them. The key, I think, remains in the sharing. Eating a good meal with friends and family, enjoying the food, drink, and conversation, is a good, it seems to me. Eating caviar to show how sophisticated you are is not.