Melding the public and private spheres: Taking commensality seriously

Journal/Book: Crit Rev. 1996; 10: PO Box 1254, Danbury, CT 06813-1254. Critical Review Foundation. 533-550.

Abstract: Tibor Scitovsky's The Joyless Economy distinguished the pleasure of moving from discomfort to comfort and the pleasure of replacing boredom with stimulation. I have argued that there are also pleasures distinctive to participating in public life. A third form of pleasure berlongs to both the private and tile public domain: the common meal leads to individual satiation and, as a result of commensality, has important social and public effects. A good example is the banquet in ancient Greece, closely connected to the lottery-tile basic mechanism of Athenian democracy. Brit tile common meal can also lead to the degradation of human relations and political life.

Note: Article Hirschman AO, Inst Adv Study, Olden Lane, Princeton,NJ 08540 USA

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