Philosophy Hedonism.

Is it true that man has become more hedonistic within the last few hundred years? Are we obsessed with the pursuit of pleasure? Has sensuality taken over?

 

In my opinion, yes they have. Take killers for example, they kill for pleasure because they like it and think its right. There's also a lot of other ways to put Hedonism in other things. At least that's what I found out from wikipedia. Here's the site for it....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedonism

 

*nods* indeed. I to beileve man has become more obsessed over pleasure than anything else, which I beileve will end up in our own destruction. If all man was to care about was pleasure, then pretty soon they would be ripping one another apart to get what they want, whatever gives them pleasure.....suuuuure hope that dosen't happen though >.>

 

See, I wonder how man can obsess over pleasure when that's all we live for. Now, hedonism does usually specifies pleasure of the senses and that pretains to things like over eating and nimphomania, or other extreame things. I mean, arn't almost all of the seven deadly sins against things that could be considered hedonistic?

 

Well yes, I guess it could be considered that. It seems all 7 are seemingly for peoples pleasure. I am gonna have to think on this one lol

 

Yes, they could.

 

However not all men live for pleasure, there are many different cultures and people and we all live for different things...don't we? Like one man could live for god, the other for his family, one for honour, and one for pleasure. SO I think it all kinda evens out if you know what I mean.

 

Pride isn't a sensual sin..xD it's more of an egotistical one.

 

BUT SOME GET OFF FROM TEH EGO BEING BIGGER TEN TAH WINKER...sorry had to that.

last few hundred years is a relatively small number, more like the beginning of man since if we think about it. What we want is what we like what we like becomes what we do for pleasure. Take a look obesity has risen because that everything is different then what it was in the old days correct? well if given the choice would you go back to the old days after expereiencing the technilogical advances of the future? most likly you would reply hell no.

Few find enjoyment in work but many find enjoyment in fulfilling thier appitites in thierself then with others.

 

This is very true Nightmare. By the way..Can I make you a siggy oneday? >.>;;

 

I'm agreeing with Nightmare on everything he said. Take slaves for example. They've been around since man and we've done over hundred dozen things with slaves. I wish slaves never came to be but I can't change the fact that I can't

 

To lucky: Love you can make me a sig any time any day of the week XD

To lance: AHH but without slaves the economic process in the apst would ahve slowed what we now know as the future, True that you hate the idea of slavery as most (not all thier are still some sick f*cks out in the world) that respect human life and treat each other as an equivilant hate the idea of it, but to say that back in th eolder days when most people worked harder and would do just about anything to relieve some work from thier heavy shoulders and dump it on someone they dont' even know, back in those times yea tat was the **** to do because of the class system and strucural integrity of the goverments, and of the people.

 

I still hate it, even though it progressed things and stuff. I know enough stuff already about it to make me sick

Anyway, back to topic. If we talk about slaves, I'm going to get depressed

 

Hey, I should have read this before bring up my Marcusian words of wisdom in that other thread.

It is natural for humans to pursue pleasure. The opposite of hedonism would be to pursue that which causes the most pain and the least pleasure. If humans went about doing that then we would have gone extinct long ago.

However, I wonder if "pleasure" can be defined naturally or societally. Do we have the instincts to know what pleasures us, or do we look to society to determine what is pleasurable and follow that? If so then a system can pick and choose what it's members want in order to elicit control, or make more money at the least. The rise of capitalism might actually be related to a rise of hedonistic behaviour.

Looking at the topic more critically though, I also agree with what Samurai Me that not all humans are hedonistic. Some are, yes, but there are those out there who are able to control this instict.

 

Yeah there are those people who can, and there the ones we need not worry about. It is those who can't, they are the very same people who are causing so much trouble today. Drug dealers are a big one, as are theifs and murderers, and the rapeists. These people have no control what so ever and are living only for pleasure. There the people we need to get rid of lol.

 

If only it was that simple, Samurai Me. We can't just get rid of them. If it was that easy, a lot of people would be alive today and we wouldn't have as many problems now. If we could do all those things, we all would be in a much better world.

 

aaaaaaand this isn't happening now?

Like others have said, this has been going on for waaay longer than a few hundred years...

Many muslims believe that they will get 72 virgins in heaven if they die a martyr. Suicide bombers anyone?

Savoring pleasurable moments and keeping them to ourselves is not something thats foreign to us as human beings. From little things to big things. If you won the lottery, what would you do with it? Spend it on a nice house, a swimming pool, maybe a sweet car or 2...or would you give it all to Charity? To breast cancer research or starving children in third world countries? Honestly. How hard would you have to struggle with yourself to give ALL that money away? I know It would be hard for me. Why? Because it would buy me pleasure. Maybe not ever lasting pleasure, but pleasure none the less. I believe that all of us have a little bit of greed in us somewhere, and I think that's just part of human nature.

Albeit different people find pleasure in different things. I know many people who find pleasure in giving to and helping out people in need. People who feel good about putting others needs before of their own.

Enjoying pleasure ISN'T a bad thing. I believe it only becomes bad when enjoying it results in the harm of others.

My 2 cents.

 

That was well said cherrygirl. You are indeed correct. I know and would admit I would even have trouble giving that much money. But heres the thing, pleasure is not a bad thing yes, and people can have pleasure and that is fine. The problem is the people who will do anything for it....which I have already made mention who they are. These are the people we allllll need to watch out for. Here in maine since I live on the coast, alot of drug dealers smuggle there drugs right off our coast! XD I go to work, and see motor boats go by like a blur...five in a row and I know what there doin, they delivering drugs. And if you get in there way, they are gonna kill you....why? Because your getting in the way of there pleasure. Oh and there not ripping one another apart just yet lol I mean like chaos in the street kind, as in freaken nothing but them warring against one another 24/7.

 

Wait, aren't most religions based on pleasure and pain? Heaven isn't it suppost to be a place with out pain or suffering? Hell is a place with everlasting pain? No wonder why some men have tryed to make there life more pleasurable, also who doesn't want to have an ejoyable life? In the long term most things that you do result in pleasure. You go to work, yes you may hate it, but it gives you money.. money nowdays gives most people pleasure.
Also you thought on drug dealers getting pleasure out of there dealings? I really don't know why you tend to bring that up in every post, but for some dealers it is just a job, they are supplying people with pleasure that they desire, they don't deal for the pleasure thereself, the pleasure they get out of it is getting paid.

The whole world really is revolved around pleasure and pain. A lot of things require a little bit of pain for pleasure. The only reason most people do anything nowdays is for a bit of joy or pleasure out of what there doing.

It is bad however when people are willing to pay 200$ for a pair of jeans when there are other people living on the streets.

 

Yeah, I pay up to 140 for a pair of jeans. And shoes..>.> Don't get me started. Heh, I'll be honest with everyone and admit that I might be selfish in that sense and hedonistic in other senses. But all in all, I'm pretty giving, I don't dwell too much on worldly posessions..

But then there is sex. I love sex and thinking about it, it can be one of the most hedonistic things you can possibly take part in. >.<