Sybarites are characterized by their refined consumption.
Sybarite is an adjective used to describe the individual whose tastes and hobbies are fine and distinguished . Sybarites are usually people of good economic position , who have the necessary economic resources to satisfy their refined consumption.
It should be noted that the Latin word Sybarīta , which comes from the Greek language , refers to Sybaris or Sybari . It is an Italian city, located in the Gulf of Taranto , which was once famous for its splendor and the refinement of its inhabitants, known precisely as sybarites .
Consumption of gourmets
Regarding food, gourmets enjoy good food . They can buy high-quality imported foods, organic products and frequent delicatessens (a German term that refers to stores that sell exclusive, difficult-to-find products of very high quality). They also tend to favor drinks such as high- cost varieties of wine , champagne and liquor , since price is generally linked to quality .
Classic or latest-generation automobiles, new technological products and clothing from renowned designers are other common consumption items for foodies.
As you can see, living the lifestyle of a sybarite requires significant financial outlays, since these people opt for high- priced products. This causes some individuals, in the desire to live like sybarites, to incur debts that dangerously threaten their economic stability.
A music lover is a music sybarite.
Beyond the economic
It should be noted that the idea of sybarite can be applied to cultural or symbolic consumption , which transcends the purchase of products. A music sybarite, to cite one possibility, is a music lover : he loves to listen to music all day long, frequently attends concerts, etc.
It is important to understand that the gourmet does not pursue exclusive products with the objective of showing off his economic level; On the contrary, he feels a need that arises from a special sensitivity , thanks to which he is able to experience a series of sensations when he consumes them that do not compare with the perception that other people have of them.
Of all the characteristics mentioned so far, in the Iberian Peninsula and in certain Latin American countries it is common that simply the love of good food and exclusive or refined products is enough to be described as a sybarite. In other words, in these regions the term can be considered a synonym for gourmet .
Sybarites in art
The figure of the sybarite appears in all forms of art, whether he is mentioned as such or not. Its presence can have different intentions: depending on the tone of the work and the ideas of the creators, it can be used to denounce certain injustices in society that prevent some from accessing basic comforts while others can lead a life of excess, but also to build characters who lead that lifestyle with a depth that transcends the mere possession of cars and expensive properties.
In the novel "Against the Grain" , by the French writer Joris-Karl Huysmans , the character Jean Floressas Des Esseintes is a clear example of a sybarite in fiction.
The dandy
A term whose meaning is quite similar to that of sybarite is dandy , also spelled dandy ; It is an English concept that serves to describe an individual who is very interested in fashion, who wears very refined clothing and who comes from the bourgeoisie.
The first dandies appeared in 18th century England, but also in France, and they tended to have strong personalities and advanced values for their time. The current associated with this type of people is known as dandyism .