Is Hedonism Empty?

I'm wondering if the pursuit of pleasure as the ultimate goal of life is meaningless and empty to you.

 

No, as I don't pursue pleasure for pleasure's sake.....I pursue more meaningful things in life.

 

Then how are you a hedonist?

 

It is meaningless, because there is a lot more depth to human thought and emotion than simply having the ability to "get off." Ultimately I say to each their own, but for me hedonism is just another distraction from what's real. It's about as base as you can get.

 

Nope, everything else is uncertain.

 

I think everyone should be free to find their own meaning in life.

I think there is probably a degree of selfishness involved in hedonism, but that doesn't make it meaningless.

 

Working hard and saving money is hedonistic. It is only future pleasure.

 

wik

no mention of sex[getting off]....



one can absolutely be a hedonist and still live a respectable and healthy life

no where does it say one cant be generous, thoughtful, kind, unselfish or even celibate ....or continue to pursue ''meaningful'' lifestyles and choices....whatever the fuck that is?????

don't confuse the original school of thought with the shitty germ filled resorts in the islands down south

“You can live to be a hundred if you give up all the things that make you want to live to be a hundred.”
― Woody Allen

 

:iagree:
you read my mind

The OP's question and PR's post are both rife with religious moralistic underpinnings and influence.

 

What is real?

 

Grass-fed beef and the NWO.

 

From what was posted by RollingAlong on post #8 then sure.... yea, I live in a way to try to minimize pain and maximize pleasure (positive, non painful things).....

But when I first read the question I saw it instead in a way I'll try to explain.... saw it more as being asked something like "do you live for that now... you know, the.... I want it and I don't wanna wait, I want it now.. Fuck the consequences, who cares about tomorrow... give me what I want when I want it".... or to say it better and to sum it up better-I saw it more as "Can you delay pleasure/gratification?"

And based on the last question (how I saw it for some reason), when I was younger I wanted what I wanted THEN.... didn't delay gratification well.

Anyways now I don't do things usually for just momentarily, in the moment pleasure... but that doesn't mean I don't fit into Rolling's def he posted. I just now see minimizing pain and getting more rewards differently- more on a long term scale... based on life experiences.

(So, not sure if I put into words correctly what I was thinking about this question- but basically, the answer is yes, I still try to maximize pleasure/minimize pain but that I view not only how to do so differently but even what that is.) I do think living just for simplistic pleasures at the EXPENSE of others---- not caring about hurting other people, lying to other people, stealing from people, etc.---- yes, I think that is selfish. But I think you can seek pleasure in ways that isn't selfish at all... When I was younger I cared more about myself and what I specifically wanted.... now that I am in my 30's and a mom the things I want and find meaningful and pleasureful are often the same and much less selfish, because they include other people often instead of just myself.--- But you know what, that's not to say that as long as I'm not hurting anyone else that there aren't times and certain things that I want to do them because I want to do them and for me, me, me. Whether that would be the fact that I would someday like to eat some mdma again just for me.... or whether that would be how, when I was on vacation last month, I went out and bought things that were just for ME.... awesome smelling solid perfumes, a purse, a really great necklace, books..... all for me because it made ME happy)

 

Are you empty without pleasure?

 

I think in a way a good way of looking at or thinking about what (TD) just said is...Can and do you derive pleasure from simplicity?

For me, I didn't used to very often.... but I often find that I am having a great time- for no particular reason. It's nice.

 

as time creeps onward and life experience accumulates, you find it is more about your cumulative life experiences as a whole rather than some arbitrary dichotomy of good experiences versus bad.
Sure I would prefer good over bad, but it is all experience in the end.

If all my experiences were good and pleasurable, would I know it without a personal basis for comparison?
The one can not exist without the other.

 

I agree, at some point in my mid 20s I realized doing certain things for immediate gratification often led to depression afterwards. Now im more likely to consider whether something will make me happy in the long run, not just immediately. I'm also much more inclined to suffer temporarily if I know my sacrifice will lead to better things later on.

I think everyone is hedonistic to a certain degree, whether we seek instant gratification or delayed gratification.

 

Hedonism is very gratifying for me. The level of it fluctuates for me.

 

Really like this post...some true words there.

Yea, everyone is to a degree... except maybe Buddhists.

Yea, for me I just think that I realized that delaying gratification leads to more gratification and more satisfying gratification in the long run, and is therefore a wiser choice.

Although sometimes both instant and delayed are possible, or in other words sometimes you can have your cake and eat it too.

 

I feel about hedonism how I feel about communism, seems great in theory but in practice it doesn't really work.

I think It's beneficial for people to experience some adversity, sacrifice, trials and tribulations, etc. It helps a person grow and be more considerate and understanding of others.

 

depends on how its defined and pursued. you can chase excitement and try to impress everyone for ever and never feel or experience real gratification.

only by creating, which is our true nature as sapients, and exploring, which is that of all chordate life forms, can we really ever expect to do so.

of course, religious injunctions to deny and ignore reason, are nonsensical and even harmful. but there IS a very real, direct and immediate personal concern with the kind of world we create, often by giving too little thought to how we often unintentionally do so. if only because each of us, individually still have to live in it.

so there is something of more real value and importance then immediate personal gratification. and that IS the kind of world we all have to live in, and the process by which we create what we experience of how it is.

so environment, and making infrastructure to be in harmony with it, and useful to everyone at the same time, environment is the main event. its the basis without which there's no us.

but after that, then the main thing is the freedom for everyone to create and explore, as their own imagination demands expressed.