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2012-12-10 09:34:07
In Adventure
By Suemedha Sood
It seems fitting that resolutions are made on New Year s Day, post a long night
of debauchery and several weeks of voracious eating, drinking and overall
merriment. After a period of self-indulgence, we often take a step back and vow
to be better. But is giving into our vices particularly when it comes to
visiting such temptation-heavy destinations as Munich for Oktoberfest, Rio de
Janeiro for Carnaval or Las Vegas for a stag party -- really all that bad?
Most religions would probably say yes, but not all modern day philosophers
agree.
The origins of vice
In the 4th Century, Christian monk Evagrius Ponticus wrote that the capital
vices -- designated as greed, pride, envy, wrath, gluttony, lust and sloth --
were the root of all sinful behaviour. In Hinduism, lust, greed and anger are
referred to in the Hindu scripture the Bhagavad Gita as the three gates to
hell ; and in Buddhism, the kleshas -- desire, anger, pride, ignorance, doubt
and opinion are considered emotional states that can lead to suffering.
So it s safe to say, the teachings of the major religions would likely not
approve of travellers indulging in lusty trysts in Amsterdam or unrestrained
gambling in Macau.
The concept of vice is particularly interesting in Amish culture. This group of
American Protestant Christians is known for their 19th-century way of life, but
when Amish children reach the age of 16, many enter into a period of
experimentation with modern vices called Rumspringa, where they may engage in
activities ranging from watching television and driving to drinking and
partying. The hope is that during Rumspringa, Amish teenagers will realise the
strength of their faith and join the Church for life.
The modern study of vice
While most religions teach that vices are sinful temptations, today some
philosophers and medical professionals question that belief, giving us hope for
guilt-free trips to Ko Pha-Ngan, Thailand, known for its bacchanalian Full Moon
parties.
Philosopher David Brax of Lund University in Scania, Sweden makes a case for
hedonism, arguing that our values -- things like friendship, health, prosperity
and knowledge -- would not be worth anything if they did not bring us pleasure.
This can be extended to such religious virtues as loyalty, justice, generosity
and compassion. In fact, psychology studies have shown that altruistic acts
often have the result of self-gratification, or pleasure for pleasure s sake.
Pleasure can, of course, also be derived from giving into not-so-positive
tendencies. In his book The Virtue of Our Vices, philosophy professor Emrys
Westacott argues for giving into our temptations when it comes to habits such
as gossip, rudeness or snobbery. For example, he believes that gossip -- long
thought of as a sin in Judaism can sometimes be both a cathartic exercise and
a way to broaden our understanding of other people and our own relationships.
This list from Health.com of 10 vices that are actually good for you encourages
indulging in sex, chocolate, wine and even laziness to boost the immune system,
reduce stress, reduce blood pressure, burn calories, improve cardiac health and
improve mental health. Perhaps then, it isn t so bad to order the Chocolate
Variation, one of the most expensive desserts in the world, at Mezzaluna in
Bangkok.
Specialized medical research has even found prescriptive applications for
vices. Recent studies have found pleasure to be an effective treatment for
Alzheimer s patients. And the Beatitudes nursing home in Phoenix, Arizona, has
found success in cutting back on the traditional treatment method of heavily
medicating Alzheimer s patients in favour of giving them things they actually
want -- like chocolate or bacon.
Vice vacations
When on holiday, we tend to forgo our inhibitions during temporary bursts of
hedonism, breaking down our barriers as we blow off some steam. For future
holiday ideas, check out this BBC Travel list of the world s greatest guilty
pleasures, which range from embracing slothful bliss in Jaipur to imbibing
Mongolian airag, a type of moonshine made from fermented horse milk.