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A "Hedonistic Country"?
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flyingzone View Drop Down
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Posts: 2630 		  Quote flyingzone Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: A "Hedonistic Country"?
    Posted: 03-Jul-2006 at 18:20
In another thread, the idea of different countries' relative degree of "hedonism" has been brought up. However, I find the concept of "hedonism" applied to that level a little hard to define. My questions are:
 
1. What is your own definition of hedonism when it is used to describe a country's national culture? Could you give some specific "operational definitions"?
 
2. Do you find the concept useful at all? Why or why not?
 
3, Which country's culture do you think is exemplary of hedonism?
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Posts: 28 		  Quote Gloval Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03-Jul-2006 at 19:02
There aren't really any hedonistic countries because that would be degenerative to the structure of the state. Really the question should be are there hedonistic peoples.
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Posts: 6003 		  Quote Cywr Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03-Jul-2006 at 19:12
Hedonism is about attitude and actualy doing.
Not legal technicalities.

There aren't any actual 'hedonist countries' per se, but there are countries where hedonistic attitudes seem to be more pervalent, and amoungst European nations, i'd rank the UK high up there, with miss-stereotyped Netherlands actualy being relativly moderate.
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Posts: 4030 		  Quote Mila Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03-Jul-2006 at 19:31
Originally posted by Gloval

There aren't really any hedonistic countries because that would be degenerative to the structure of the state. Really the question should be are there hedonistic peoples.


Serial killers, drug addicts, and the most satisfied of protitutes.
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Posts: 4221 		  Quote pikeshot1600 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03-Jul-2006 at 20:13
Originally posted by Gloval

There aren't really any hedonistic countries because that would be degenerative to the structure of the state. Really the question should be are there hedonistic peoples.
 
I would not know how to characterize hedonistic peoples.  Wealthy countries' populations work all the time to afford their "necessities," and poorer countries' populations work all the time to survive.  Not much time for the good old debauch.
 
 


Edited by pikeshot1600 - 03-Jul-2006 at 20:13
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Posts: 2630 		  Quote flyingzone Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03-Jul-2006 at 21:31

I went to Wiki and found the following "definition" for hedonism:

"Hedonism describes any way of thinking that gives pleasure a central role. Hedonism can be generally summed up as "pleasure is the highest good" or in an ethical formulation "whatever causes pleasure is right." Furthermore, Hedonism can be defined as the doctrine holding that behavior is motivated by the desire for pleasure and the avoidance of pain.

The hedonistic view focuses on increasing pleasure and reducing pain. Note that while the terms were originally employed literally, this is no longer the case. There seems to be no common ground on what actually constitutes pleasurable or painful activities. The hedonistic philosophy usually has a sexual or libidinal connotation."

Based on this definition, "hedonism" may in fact be more "benign" than what most people think. I think its association with criminal behaviours may be a little bit misguided.
 
In my opinion, "Latin" countries (especially France, Italy, and Spain, Latin American countries, and the Philippines) tend to be quite hedonistic. Quebec, whose culture is basically "Latin", is unquestionably the most "hedonistic" in Canada. Quebekers are the heaviest drinkers and smokers in Canada and we have an extremely open-minded attitude towards sex. I also think California is quite hedonistic.
 
Scandinavian and the Low Countries, thanks to their open-minded attitude towards sex, also strike me as pretty "hedonistic".
 
Cywr, for some reason I still have problem seeing Britain a "hedonistic" country ...  
 
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Posts: 6003 		  Quote Cywr Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03-Jul-2006 at 22:01
What is getting smashed every other night if its not hedonism? And whats more peers will encourage this behaviour especialy amoungst younger generations. Thats hedonism if you ask me.

Also you seem to be obmitting motivation, are certain countries open minded about sex because they want to increase pleasure? Or because they don't believe in curtaining the freedoms of various sections of socieity?
Netherlands maybe on the surface more tolerant of homosexuals than most other countries in the world, but it doesn't mean every Dutch person wants to go out into the street and hug the nearest gay person.

Britian on the contrary, appears as a slightly repressed nannyesque state on the surface, but go out on a friday night in a club with twenty somethings and that illusion will quickly be dispelled.
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Posts: 4310 		  Quote Tobodai Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04-Jul-2006 at 04:16
Hedonism is great.  Its the one thing that truly sets us apart from the animals.  A hedonistic country is a country that embraces its humanity.
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I have learned to hold popular opinion of no value."
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Posts: 3387 		  Quote Aelfgifu Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04-Jul-2006 at 04:35
Originally posted by flyingzone

Cywr, for some reason I still have problem seeing Britain a "hedonistic" country ...  

 
 
I think I know why. Hedonism is the pursuit of pleasure. Bingedrinking is not. Bingedrinking is the opposite: not drinking for enjoyment but to get drunk. It is drinking to forget, which is sad, not pleasurable.

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Posts: 6003 		  Quote Cywr Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04-Jul-2006 at 12:56
They don't drink to forget, they drink toget drunk because thats what is regarded as a fun night out.
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Posts: 3387 		  Quote Aelfgifu Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04-Jul-2006 at 13:10
Well, thats sad too, isnt is? Wink
I think there are people like that everywhere, who mix up getting drunk with having fun...

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Posts: 6003 		  Quote Cywr Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04-Jul-2006 at 15:31
Well exactly, but to the extent that many Brits do at the moment?
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Posts: 3387 		  Quote Aelfgifu Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05-Jul-2006 at 05:10
I think we are having this discussion split over two threads.... bit confusing.

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Posts: 1108 		  Quote ataman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05-Jul-2006 at 12:36

Here are my 2 cents - hedonsitic countries are these countries which reject morality - if this morality is against pleasure.

I think that most of countries in their history had some periods, when people rejected existed morality because this morality was against a pleasure. Every moral revolution which rejected inhibitions had in backgroud some hedonistic ideas.

Which countries today are the most hedonistics? These ones where moral inhibitions are the poorest.
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Posts: 2630 		  Quote flyingzone Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05-Jul-2006 at 17:20
Originally posted by Aelfgifu

I think we are having this discussion split over two threads.... bit confusing.
 
Yes, that's partially my fault (because I started this thread). So maybe we should stick with Tobodai's original theme ("tourism"), which is equally interesting, instead of hedonism in the other thread.
 
Just a suggestion.
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Posts: 2630 		  Quote flyingzone Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05-Jul-2006 at 17:20
Originally posted by ataman

Which countries today are the most hedonistics? These ones where moral inhibitions are the poorest.
 
Like?
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Posts: 949 		  Quote Illuminati Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05-Jul-2006 at 17:28
I don't know how you'd classify a country as the msot hedonistic, because everyone seeks pleasure in their own way. Some drink and have pre-marital sex. Other's follow strict religious morals. To all their own.



Edited by Illuminati - 05-Jul-2006 at 17:32
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Posts: 1108 		  Quote ataman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06-Jul-2006 at 02:01
Originally posted by flyingzone

Originally posted by ataman

Which countries today are the most hedonistics? These ones where moral inhibitions are the poorest.
 
Like?
 
Like this country, where a party to legalization a pedophilia was created recently.
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  Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06-Jul-2006 at 06:40
Originally posted by ataman

Originally posted by flyingzone

Originally posted by ataman

Which countries today are the most hedonistics? These ones where moral inhibitions are the poorest.
  
Like?
  
Like this country, where a party to legalization a pedophilia was created recently.
which of course is supported by all inhabitants
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Posts: 1108 		  Quote ataman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06-Jul-2006 at 09:29
Originally posted by Mixcoatl

Originally posted by ataman

Originally posted by flyingzone

Originally posted by ataman

Which countries today are the most hedonistics? These ones where moral inhibitions are the poorest.
  
Like?
  
Like this country, where a party to legalization a pedophilia was created recently.
which of course is supported by all inhabitants
 
I don't know statistics, but I know that this democratic country has already legalized many other 'unusual' customs, which proves that inhabitants of this country have a 'specific' morality.
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