Deconaria
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Deconaria refers to a system of philosophy founded during the First Imperium of Caphiria. It originally referred to the popular criticism of the culture of the wealthy patricians that reveled in luxury, and was characterized by corrupting "extravagance, weakness, and sexual deviance", as well as "orgies and sensual excesses". This notion of "Caphiric decadence" persisted for centuries until the Dark Period of the late 10th and early 11th centuries. However, during Caphiria's cultural renaissance in the 15th and 16th centuries, the idea was incorporated with new contemporary ways of thinking to form its own philosophy, which is known as Deconarianism.
In the most basic sense, Deconarianism advocates seeking pleasure (delectatio) and avoiding pain (angores) as the primary objective of life. Deconarianism also states that the greatest pleasure a person could reach was the complete removal of all pain, both physical and mental. The meaning of life then, according to the Deconari, was to achieve evitera (the total absence of physical pain/suffering) and avitera (the total absence of mental pain/suffering). By achieving both evitera and avitera, an individual is unburdened from the "bitter gift" of life and is able to reap all of the joys of living.
History
Philosophy
Pleasures
The concept of pleasure is divided into two broad categories: pleasures of the body (corporis voluptates) and pleasures of the mind (voluptates animi). These are further subdivided into specific types of pleasures. The specific types of pleasures of the body are:
- Luxuria: indulging in sensual pleasures such as fine food, drink, and sex
- Deliciae: enjoying physical comforts and pleasures such as warm baths and comfortable beds
- Gaudium: feeling joy and happiness from physical activities such as sports and dancing
The specific types of pleasures of the mind are:
- Laetitia: feeling joy and happiness from mental activities such as learning, creating, and achieving goals
- Melancholia: experiencing a melancholic or wistful pleasure from nostalgic or melancholic experiences
- Gratitudo: feeling grateful and content with one's life and circumstances.