Dionysian

Dionysian Definition

Dionysian describes an outlook or cultural style marked by passion, excess, and the abandonment of restraint, after Dionysus, the Greek god of wine (the Roman Bacchus).

Nietzsche and Sociological Usage

The term is chiefly associated with Friedrich Nietzsche, who argued that the moral philosopher should not be cool, rational, and detached but passionate and engaged in a Dionysian manner. Sociologists use the word either with reference to Nietzsche’s work or to describe contemporary cultural practices that celebrate excess and loss of control — binge-drinking on nights out being a familiar example.