Quote by G. K. Chesterton, from
A new morality has burst upon us with some violence in connection with the problem of strong drink; and enthusiasts in the matter range from the man who is violently thrown out at 12.30, to the lady who smashes American bars with an axe. In these discussions it is almost always felt that one very wise and moderate position is to say that wine or such stuff should only be drunk as a medicine. With this I should venture to disagree with a peculiar ferocity. The one genuinely dangerous and immoral way of drinking wine is to drink it as a medicine. And for this reason: If a man drinks wine in order to obtain pleasure, he is trying to obtain something exceptional; something he does not expect every hour of the day; something which, unless he is a little insane, he will not try to get every hour of the day. But if a man drinks wine in order to obtain health, he is trying to get something natural; something, that is, that he ought not to be without; something that he may find it difficult to reconcile himself to being without. The man may not be seduced who has seen the ecstasy of being ecstatic; it is more dazzling to catch a glimpse of the ecstasy of being ordinary.
Summary
This quote challenges the notion that drinking wine as a medicine is a wise and moderate approach. The speaker argues that if a person drinks wine solely for pleasure, they are seeking something exceptional, something they do not expect or desire all the time. However, if one drinks wine for health reasons, they are seeking something natural and necessary, something they struggle to imagine living without. The speaker suggests that appreciating the ordinary aspects of life, like being healthy, can be more fulfilling than constantly pursuing extraordinary experiences.
Topics
Drinking
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