Hunger and Famine

Someone decided that life was like a three-course meal. They believed that during the infantile moments of the appetiser the taste for life was introduced, the main course provided the meal’s sustenance, and dessert provided a reward for all the hard work of the main dish.(1) In this way they expected the completed meal to leave you perfectly satisfied and ready for a nap before the divine evening and thereafter.

However, another understood that it was possible to dislike what they were eating (even that which they had chosen for themselves), and soon began experiencing dissatisfaction with their starter. As their distaste developed into the main course, they began to pick at the food on the plate, while all around it appeared that the hungry were wolfing down their meals. The more sensitive to this they became, the more intense grew the malaise. The more severe the malaise, the more repugnant the food. Consequentially, swallowing and digesting became increasingly wretched and they were soon in a panic as to how they could leave their food uneaten. Finally the bitter taste became intolerable and they collapsed in exhaustion.

There would be no after-nap for this one who was neither satisfied nor hungry, but who, we can assume, had had quite enough of eating.

 

 

 

(1) We would step in here to recommend not too excessive a serving of the main course in order to allow plenty of room for dessert.