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To: 1066AD
Decadence is the need for ever increasing stimulation in order to maintain the same feeling of aliveness.

What the author seems to be describing is degeneracy

3 posted on 07/30/2005 9:23:45 PM PDT by AEMILIUS PAULUS (It is a shame that when these people give a riot)
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To: AEMILIUS PAULUS
What the author seems to be describing is degeneracy

And I wonder where socialism fits in the mix, the author blames PC and multiculturism but what about the economic system itself?

4 posted on 07/30/2005 9:27:36 PM PDT by KC_for_Freedom (Sailing the highways of America, and loving it.)
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To: AEMILIUS PAULUS; MadIvan
What the author seems to be describing is degeneracy

Might be an English usage?

10 posted on 07/30/2005 9:53:31 PM PDT by an amused spectator (If Social Security isn't broken, then cut me a check for the cash I have into it.)
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To: AEMILIUS PAULUS
What the author seems to be describing is degeneracy

The ultimate result of hedonism.

20 posted on 07/30/2005 10:48:27 PM PDT by Wilhelm Tell
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To: AEMILIUS PAULUS
Decandent:
1 : marked by decay or decline
2 : of, relating to, or having the characteristics of the decadents
3 : characterized by or appealing to self-indulgence - dec·a·dent·ly adverb
21 posted on 07/30/2005 10:50:22 PM PDT by DB (©)
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To: AEMILIUS PAULUS
What an odd usage. Your English tends to be quite excellent, so I find your usage here strange.

Are you sure that you are not borrowing your usage of the term from musical, artistic or literary criticism, or perhaps scientific and social-political jargon of the late 19th century? Some ill-considered scientific and social-politiacl fashions of the late 19th century use "degeneracy" to connote "avatarism" or "primitivism," which is a usage that is at least closer to the original meaning, however loony their application of the concept might be.

No, The author is quite right here: Decadence is taken to mean "a descent to a lower level or condition, and generally speaking this usage is synoynmous with Degeneracy in commom practice. In modern usage, Decadence tends to also carry the connotation of greater primal causality than Degeneracy, as in the assertion: "Their degeneracy reflects the decadence of their Civilization,"" but this a somewhat inaccurate usage.

Degeneracy implies a return to a earlier, more primitive condition, whereas Decadence denote a state of rot or decay (from the Latin: dēcadere). This is true in both literary and technical usage.

So the usage in this article is quite correct and apt, and your usage - for once - seems quite eccentric.

29 posted on 07/31/2005 2:07:28 AM PDT by CasearianDaoist
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