From a hedonistic perspective, is there a reason to work hard? Is it worth it if pleasure is the highest aim?
'Work is the curse of the drinking classes' they say. But it's simple isn't it? Work = money to spend on self indulgence.
from any perspective, work for its own sake is not such a great idea. and really, nothing should have to seem like work at all. but everything that makes life easier, takes many hands to create. that's where the trade-off comes in. an ounce of consideration is worth a ton of productivity. too much of the wrong productivity creates products and conditions, that if anything, make life less pleasant, and may even imperil it. so i don't support a 'work ethic'. but i do, instead, support and promote a 'consideration ethic'. and i do love and enjoy some things that do take many hands to create. but i do believe, if things were set up that way, that everything that was needed, could be created by those who enjoy doing so, and with a lot less effort, then is currently demanded of nearly everyone. but there's another kind of effort it takes to get things set up that way. some efforts are sufficiently worth and rewarding to expend. and some are not. and the problem with a 'work' ethic, is its failure to distinguish between them. a consideration ethic, on the other paw, is all about creating a world each and every living being could enjoy living in, without some having to bear more effort, and have fewer opportunities to enjoy, then others.
it all comes down to this...is work worth the time you put into it compared to what you get out of it. no need for a full essay on the equation.
It depends on what you're working on. Working on a hot tub: the purpose is enjoying it once it is finished. Working for a living: well, try quit it and see what was the purpose Working on your muscles: uhm, yeah... some say it is the process on itself :-D
Work, Karma Yoga. The path of dedicated action or work. Work can always be used as a path to self enlightenment if you work in a selfless manner. That is, work to improve others' situations or the environment without a regard for personal gain. In that light Karma Yoga, or work, can be seen to be highly hedonistic as, as you work in a selfless manner with no regard for personal gain...you enter a path of spiritual improvement that results in spiritual gain.
Aside from perhaps a porn star or a wine taster (maybe a rock star too), I cannot imagine too many hedonists that would value the work, in and of itself, that they do. I think most would view work as a means to an end.
Physical labour can give huge satisfaction obviously. Not only in a spiritual way. It just feels great to do stuff yourself. Even a lazy person who values doing nothing the most can affirm that.
Not every kind of physical labour of course. And a chore that comes up every week doesn't feels that great to do, certainly not every time. But the feeling of getting it done yourself is great. And the feeling of good hard work is so good on both your body and your mind (yes, yes there are exceptions, like when you have arthritis for example). And that is without considering what you get out of the hard work invested in something!
You should work hard for yourself, to attain your own goals, whatever they may be. Being a "hard worker" in itself isn't a virtue. Being a great pawn isn't an accomplishment.
Being a hard worker can be a virtue on itself. It isn't always but it can be. Depends on the details.
Yes this is kind of how I think the general hedonist would view work, everything short of doing work in a field one is passionate about would be a burden.
If hedonism amounts to just sensory pleasure and not intellectual or spiritual pleasures, work obviously is unfulfilling due to the stress and strain it imposes on the body and psyche, especially if you don't enjoy it . But if you enjoy your work, you never wear down doing it due to the pleasure or joy derived from it.
So (hard) work is not obviously unfullfilling. It depends on if you enjoy it. If hedonism is about sensory pleasure mainly and a lot of people enjoy the sensory pleasure during and after an intensive piece of work (assuming they do it for their own joy or fullfillment) then it makes sense for a hedonist to indulge in some hard work every now and then.
I disagree. I think for the hedonist work is merely a means to an end. As such, the hedonist should do as little as s/he can get away with.