Misohedony in Anglo culture

privignus · 08-03-21 20:51:59

A lot of middle- and upper-class Anglos seem to have an ideology of misohedony (hatred of pleasure). They want everything to be instrumental towards increasing the sacred GDP or becoming more autonomous and competitive. They write editorials saying "the only reason for government investment in education is if it increases GDP" or they try hard to justify sports and exercise as giving them 'better' bodies rather than because they are fun and an excuse to do things with other people. A vacation can't be for fun, it has to refresh you to make a better healthier worker or carer.

This essay by R.S. Benedict has some interesting thoughts although it is 'literary' not scientific and not all the feelz it is expressing resonate with me https://bloodknife.com/everyone-beautiful-no-one-horny/ (It repeats the claim that young people today are having less sex than earlier generations, but I think that is based on self-reported data and everyone knows that what people tell surveyors about their sexual behaviour is often untrue). And its kind of focused on puritanical death cult ideologies in the United States over the larger ideology. It seems to me that what many people call erotophobia is just a specific case of misohedony.

What do you think? Have you noticed these ideas in your world? Do you use other labels like neoliberalism or erotophobia to describe them? Am I just thinking too hard?

Last edited by privignus (08-03-21 20:58:35)

viva · 09-03-21 00:14:44

I think you're onto something with everything being like... about efficiency and optimisation... we measure our sleep, our calories, our moods, our wardrobes, our free time, our screen time, there's an app for it all! Which can really can in the way of chilling out and forgetting to "do". A whole lot of verb, not so much noun.

But as to whether the young people are fucking I think they are definitely fucking.

privignus · 09-03-21 21:12:20

Thanks viva! Yes, all that "quantified self" stuff seems related. There is nothing wrong with deciding you want to lift heavier weights or run a faster marathon or become a chess grandmaster if you want to (all Feck's contributors are world champion wankers!) I'm just seeing people who seem to think that the only valid reason to try a new sport is if you measure and track your progress, and if you like something creative it should become a side hustle. We will all die, until then we might as well enjoy ourselves.

viva · 10-03-21 00:04:02

Yeah I think there was a big push towards that, but maybe the tide is changing now. Certainly I was intrigued by the idea of tracking everything but quickly found that I am too lazy and that all that data about myself was overwhelming and also inaccurate. I don't easily fit in boxes and trying to put myself in them stresses me out. I still do try, I dunno. I was trying to do 15 mins of yoga a day and then wrote little stars on my paper calendar when I did it, but it didn't work out. My personality doesn't really lend itself to strictness, I think flexibility is best for me.

Maybe its like a fear of things disapearing, or forgetting. Like if you just do the sport one time, it's a waste of time because you don't get better at it and like make it fully part of your life... one off experiences aren't valuable, only high-level skills.

#1 08-03-21 20:51:59

Misohedony in Anglo culture

#2 09-03-21 00:14:44

Re: Misohedony in Anglo culture

#3 09-03-21 21:12:20

Re: Misohedony in Anglo culture

#4 10-03-21 00:04:02

Re: Misohedony in Anglo culture

Board footer