I keep coming across the word "decadent" when someone is describing a dessert. "Dark Decadent Donuts", "This is a very decadent dessert". Why "decadent"? That word means "decay". There is book called From Dawn to Decadence: A History of Western Civilization. That means it's a history of corruption in Western Civilization. Why is this word used to describe a dessert? It doesn't fit at all.
The same thing applies to chocolate desserts with names like "Devil's Delight" or "Sinful Sensation". Christian comedian Ken Davis' wife doesn't like that because she loves chocolate. And I agree with her. Why should chocolate desserts have those kinds of names? Why not, as Mrs. Ken Davis suggested, have chocolate dessert with names like "A Taste of Heaven" or "God's Gift to Mankind"? Sure that last one sounds a little over-the-top, but it sounds a lot better than "Devil's Delight".
Decadence results ultimately in decay perhaps... but the passage to decay is via luxury and over-indulgence. It would make sense to describe desserts in this way as they are a little piece of luxury or indulgence that if we eat too often will spoil our bodies.
ReplyDeleteSinful sensation/Devil's delight is a similar theme of a 'guilty pleasure'. Chocolate is delicious but if we have too much or something too rich, it may be bad for us or tempts people to eat too much.
There is also the marketing ploy that when something is described as 'sinful' 'devilish' or 'wicked' people feel as though they are pushing the boundaries and being a little risque.