A nation is born stoic, and dies epicurean.

- Will Durant

I enjoy this quote immensely, and, as I did not quite know how to begin this inaugural post, I am glad to have the excuse of employing it here. My father said it to me the other day, and it made me laugh.

As modern people, when we use the term epicurean, we are referring to something very different than that which Epicurus intended.

Here's part of the Oxford English Dictionary definition of an epicure:

1. a. A philosopher of the school of Epicurus. Obs.
The distinctive doctrines of Epicurus were, 1. That the highest good is pleasure, which he identified with the practice of virtue. 2. That the gods do not concern themselves at all with men's affairs. 3. That the external world resulted from a fortuitous concourse of atoms.

b. loosely. One who disbelieves in the divine government of the world, and in a future life; one who recognizes no religious motives for conduct.

2. One who gives himself up to sensual pleasure, esp. to eating; a glutton, sybarite.

3. (The current sense.) One who cultivates a refined taste for the pleasures of the table; one who is choice and dainty in eating and drinking.

I suppose all this is intended as a sort of introduction. I love wordy definitions and satire as well as living well on a starving artist's income. I advocate only the most appealing forms of epicureanism. If your interests are similar, we will be in good company together. All I have left to say is welcome.