Hedonism

[Boyar Son]

philosophy section of TWC is slow. What's your opinion on Hedonism?do you think that anyone actually follows this way of life?

[Arch-hereticK]

I know a few, especially as I work in a night-club, it's quite a disturbing way of life.

Although it isn't easy to keep up, normality always returns sooner or later (for a little while).

I have dabbled myself (for short periods of time), even the mere concept gives you a psychological high and like all highs they can be very addictive. It's vacuous and unsatisfying, but fun, for a while.

Don't knock it till you've tried it and be carefull, it's addictive.

[Boyar Son]

Don't knock it till you've tried it and be carefull, it's addictive.

IMO money and motivation limits this philosophy. if a guy is jobless (no money) and lazy, hedonism isn't for him..

unless his most enjoyable past times are all free

[Arch-hereticK]

IMO money and motivation limits this philosophy. if a guy is jobless (no money) and lazy, hedonism isn't for him..

unless his most enjoyable past times are all free

Yeah, even homeless people can be hedonists, infact I dare say they mostly are.

[Amorphos]

Well when we were young punks we tended to be hedonists, and we were not rich and nor did we think it was disagreeable. In the end relationships naturally form and people who like to have someone around as a companion [and regular sex] [like me lols], will form monogamous relationships. What I didn’t like was being in an open relationship, because then you have to put up with other men sleeping with your girlfriend. Equally, although it was a nice sense of freedom to not be in a relationship and meet new girls regularly, it was unpleasant in those periods when nothing happens. Generally speaking its something for young people to indulge in and I did until I was 30, after that I think it can get very sad, although that is not always the case.

Note; the longer you do it for the less opportunity will be available [as people get married off etc].

If I were young again I would happily do the same all over again, you don’t have to have a derogatory attitude towards women, it can be fulfilling for both. My general experience is terribly chauvinistic, just about all women are the same, even if they appear to be giving you freedom, generally they want a long term relationship. that’s just my observations I don’t pretend them to be politically correct.

[Boyar Son]

Yeah, even homeless people can be hedonists, infact I dare say they mostly are.

elaborate!

Well when we were young punks we tended to be hedonists, and we were not rich and nor did we think it was disagreeable. In the end relationships naturally form and people who like to have someone around as a companion [and regular sex] [like me lols], will form monogamous relationships. What I didn’t like was being in an open relationship, because then you have to put up with other men sleeping with your girlfriend. Equally, although it was a nice sense of freedom to not be in a relationship and meet new girls regularly, it was unpleasant in those periods when nothing happens. Generally speaking its something for young people to indulge in and I did until I was 30, after that I think it can get very sad, although that is not always the case.

Note; the longer you do it for the less opportunity will be available [as people get married off etc].

If I were young again I would happily do the same all over again, you don’t have to have a derogatory attitude towards women, it can be fulfilling for both. My general experience is terribly chauvinistic, just about all women are the same, even if they appear to be giving you freedom, generally they want a long term relationship. that’s just my observations I don’t pretend them to be politically correct.

party hard!

[Denny Crane!]

Hedonism is fundamentally misunderstood, it is derived from the philosophy of epicurus and what is most misunderstood is the idea of what is pleasure. It is a pleasure seeking philosophy but...

t is impossible to live a pleasant life without living wisely and well and justly (agreeing "neither to harm nor be harmed"[11]),
and it is impossible to live wisely and well and justly without living a pleasant life.

The pursuit of the highest possible pleasures, the rejection of immortality in fact ASAIK it is one of the closest relatives to buddhism.

[Amorphos]

The pursuit of the highest possible pleasures, the rejection of immortality in fact ASAIK it is one of the closest relatives to buddhism

interesting. I guess we need a new term then.

It’s a shame these things get so distorted over time.

[Denny Crane!]

interesting. I guess we need a new term then.

It’s a shame these things get so distorted over time.

There already is one ''epicureanism''

Hedonism is a more vague term to describe the general movement of this philosophy and they vary in their levels of sophistication though even the most base whose interest was overly enamoured by the pursuit of momentary physical pleasure recognised that the degree to which pleasure can be felt must be measured by any harm caused and that the qualitative nature of pleasure must be analysed.

One of the main aims of hedonistic philosophy is Ataraxia, freedom from fear.

[Amorphos]

Sex can also be a freedom pleasure - so to say, the harm caused is STD’s but if we had a cure for all of these then the morality of pleasure changes. equally a club of people with no diseases could be considered as a group seeking pleasure without harm. i get the poiunt though, there is obviously a basis as to why religions tend to not be hedonistic in the conventional sense.

There already is one ''epicureanism''

That would describe the proper meaning as you described above, but not hedonism as the layman sees it.

[Arch-hereticK]

elaborate!

Ever met a sober homeless person?

[Boyar Son]

Ever met a sober homeless person?

i always thought they were just crazy

[Denny Crane!]

Sex can also be a freedom pleasure - so to say, the harm caused is STD’s but if we had a cure for all of these then the morality of pleasure changes. equally a club of people with no diseases could be considered as a group seeking pleasure without harm. i get the poiunt though, there is obviously a basis as to why religions tend to not be hedonistic in the conventional sense.

Of course, it is not sex that could be a problem, it is an obsession with it and an endless pursuit of it that can cause problems. Sex should just be another part of life that we enjoy.

That would describe the proper meaning as you described above, but not hedonism as the layman sees it.

I guess so but such is the nature of the way people treat language

[Arch-hereticK]

Asceticist is someone equally obsessed with pleasure in the opposite sense. If a hedonist is obese with pleasure then an asceticist is anorexic. It's equally destructive and inefficient ethic that deserves to be challenged as much as hedonism (if not more).

It looks like this thread is gearing towards a very anti-hedonist position and I thought it neccessary to bring the mirror excess into play.

[Denny Crane!]

Asceticist is someone equally obsessed with pleasure in the opposite sense. If a hedonist is obese with pleasure then an asceticist is anorexic. It's equally destructive and inefficient ethic that deserves to be challenged as much as hedonism (if not more).

It looks like this thread is gearing towards a very anti-hedonist position and I thought it neccessary to bring the mirror excess into play.

really? you haven't been reading my posts then......

[Arch-hereticK]

really? you haven't been reading my posts then......

There's always one good egg.

[Cornelius Plautus]

philosophy section of TWC is slow. What's your opinion on Hedonism?do you think that anyone actually follows this way of life?

It's an important balance to Stoicism, in my opinion. That said, I don't really agree with the Hedonistic doctrine, or any of its later implied behavioral patterns. To me, hard work, discipline, and honesty are the best policies, but it is, admittedly, nice to have fun once in a while.

Overall, I generally distrust doctrines like that of the hedonists, because they promote extremism, rather than letting one's life be balanced. To me, that is one of the most dangerous things one can do to oneself.

EDIT: I've just read Denny Crane!'s posts, and I need to stick my foot in my mouth.

[Marie Louise von Preussen]

Hedonism is the replacement of morality for the tyranny of animal impulses.

[Denny Crane!]

Hedonism is the replacement of morality for the tyranny of animal impulses.

Only in the modern misunderstood context, which is obviously where you are pulling this from. This was covered in the thread I believe.

[Hilarion]

The confusion no doubt lies with, as explained by Denny Crane!, the failure to differentiate between different forms of hedonism. Cyrenaic hedonism, i.e. the active pursuit of immediate physical pleasure, I perceive as a grave threat to society. Pop culture only justifies this "feel good now" mentality, and every day I witness my peers abandoning any intellectual pursuits or discussion for the bottle, pill, or condom. I have no issue with more moderate shades of hedonism, but the Cyrenaics I cannot tolerate.