The History of the Patriarchy and the Fallacy of Gluttony

In today's powerful episode I speak with Elise Loehnen, author of the bestselling book, On Our Best Behavior: The Seven Deadly Sins and the Price Women Pay to be Good. Elise is also the host of the Pulling the Thread Podcast, and prior to her podcast she was chief content officer of Goop. 

Today we’re talking about the Gluttony chapter of Elise's book, and how it relates to the patriarchal system we live in. Elise starts by describing the origins of that system, which has come to define our worldview, whether we realize it or not. While it’s started as a hierarchical dominance-based external system, it’s become an internal system that we all perpetuate, often unconsciously. 

We explore how the system specifically plays into our relationship with food and our bodies. Elise describes how the “sin” of gluttony isn’t about extreme over-indulgence but rather about our moralizing of food. It’s a policing of what we eat and how our bodies look in order to conform and express our goodness. While we’re deeply influenced by powers outside of us (think diet culture) we also perpetuate the system internally. We police OURSELVES in an effort to be “good,” and to feel like we have control. However, this need for control disconnects us from real pleasure and from our true selves. We talk about how to get out of this giant web of patriarchal conditioning to gain sovereignty for ourselves.

I think you’re going to learn SO MUCH from this episode and begin to see how you can reclaim your own power and your own pleasure this holiday season.

Resources, books and links mentioned in this episode:

* Mind, Body, Spirit, FOOD newsletter: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/

* Find Nicki on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickisizemore/

* Elise’s newsletter: https://eliseloehnen.substack.com/

* Find Elise on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eliseloehnen/

* On Our Best Behavior: The Seven Deadly Sins and the Price Women Pay to be Good, by Elise Loehnen, by Elise Loehnen: https://amzn.to/46iL5WL

* The Patriarchs: The Origins of Inequality, by Angela Saini: https://amzn.to/3sEDhRC

* The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity, by David Graeber and David Wengrow: https://amzn.to/3QIwezb

* Marion Woodman: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14630.Marion_Woodman

* The Wisdom of Your Body, by Hillarly L. McBride, PhD: https://amzn.to/40KDPBT

* Unbroken Brain: A Revolutionary New Way of Understanding Addiction, by Maia Szalavitz: https://amzn.to/3G0p18T

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