# Contented consumption

There are intimate things in life such as making love and going to the loo — we do not feel comfortable sharing these (perverts excluded). However, some acts like bathing are also intimate, yet some feel comfortable doing such acts in public, others do not. There's a common ground in all of these scenarios, nudity.

However, there is another activity that doesn't have any connection to nudity, yet we feel quite uncomfortable when people stare at us while we eat. Eating can be quite intimate for some people and they refuse to eat while others are present in their vicinity. Even the most average of us will feel confused and flabbergasted if we are under observation while gulping down the food—especially when the observer is not committing the same act. Why are they staring at me? Are they hungry? Do I give them food? Would be polite to ask them now I'm already halfway done? And what if they refuse the food, what then?

I hate these feelings, yet, I've always liked being the observer! I find comfort in watching contented consumptions. No fancy food, no fancy restaurants, no jaw-dropping food items with pointless decorations, no, not those — rather everyday food items, homemade or bought from the street vendor, being eaten nonchalantly, without deliberation — yet with so much content!


Take this scene from Honeyland (2019), when Muratova's neighbor kid sits beside her and she cuts down a piece of honeycomb and hands it to him. The boy puts it into his mouth, Muratova watches him with a motherly affection!


And this one is from Mon Oncle(1958). The boys are planning to prank the street people, and they are already with some pastry bought from a street vendor. With anticipation, they bite on their precious pieces of jelly-breads.


Another one from Le Trou (1960). The inmates are all set on the plan. Today, however, they'll eat. Despite being robbed of their freedom, some food from their friends and family do come passing all the bars. They share the food with one another. Common canned foods, yet they exuberate happiness!

No, I don't feel the glutton rising inside me seeing these scenes. Rather the idea of it, consumption, being one of the primal processes of life — brings me closer to nature, feeling one with it again.

*The gifs are extracted from the films by me for commentary.*

— notacinephile