Massimo2002
Active Member
On the face of it living for what makes you feel good seems great but at the end of it it becomes empty and unfulfilling.
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Is headonism a good philosophy ?
- Thread starter Massimo2002
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I suspect that might depend on what makes you feel good.
There are positive and negative ways of loving oneself.
Immediate gratifications and chasing hits of adrenaline and dopamine are a negative way which constrain self-development and self-becoming.
Participating in pursuits to become one's best self is the good way, so i am not a Hedonist.
Immediate gratifications and chasing hits of adrenaline and dopamine are a negative way which constrain self-development and self-becoming.
Participating in pursuits to become one's best self is the good way, so i am not a Hedonist.
I like to enjoy myself, to feel good about what I'm doing but i stick to the guidelines of being responsible (taking into account lifes commitments) and staying within the law
This is Kramer from Seinfeld, who suspect his accountant Barry Prophet of being a cocaine addict because he went to Columbia once, likes to visit public men's rooms perhaps to "powder" his nose, and sniffs a lot - feeling him out.
"Here's to feeling good all of the time" (spoken while chugging a mug of beer with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth):
Here's some context from earlier in the episode:
Bonus trivia: the man in the background at the 1:00 mark is Norman Brenner. Besides standing in for Kramer in some episodes, he appears as an extra in several other episodes as illustrated below:
Twilight Hue
Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
I dont think so. Having fun and a good time is very fulfilling.
dybmh
ויהי מבדיל בין מים למים
Everyone's different. Everyone is fulfilled in different ways.
I don't see the point of living for transient emotional states. It's rather shallow, imo.
osgart
Nothing my eye, Something for sure
I agree with that statement.
To my mind the pursuit of a just and true love and charity within based on trustworthiness and deserve guided by reason, evidence, and proof would be far more fulfilling, and more meaningful. If one can find that within one's self they've found the greatest treasure. To me that's the fact.
Knowledge, and understanding with wisdom and virtue is of the highest order. Second only to true love, also rooted in virtue.
Hedonism is totally self absorbed and means literally nothing to others who do and don't practice that lifestyle.
Hedonism and virtue to me run contrary to each other. Certain kinds of pleasure offer temporary fun and relief, and are healthy in moderation. Excess and indulgence is for emptiness.
I thing everything has context. Happiness is fleeting, joy is enduring, and peace is fulfilling if truly done. Work is a privilege, and honor if it achieves all the virtuous ends.
Nothing in life is guaranteed, but to find love, joy, and peace within and also doing charitable work, even when no one is there for you brings its own rewards and fulfillments.
It all depends on how one's own heart is aligned with the virtues. Complete arrogance with hatred wouldn't be able or interested in realizing truths of virtues.
Come tragedy or isolation virtues give meaning and purpose to living life. I have much gratitude for those that I've lost. Hedonism don't come close. Even in a finite life of forever gone I'm still grateful for the love I've known.
Seeking a fulfilling life IS hedonism. It's the pursuit of pleasure, which isn't limited to occasional episodes of fleeting pleasure
That's why we seek that which leads to a sustained sense of contentment and satisfaction. Hedonism is the pursuit of pleasure, but as I said, that isn't limited to occasional episodes of fleeting pleasure. If one lives an upright life, makes a difference in the lives of others, and is generally liked by others, he ought to be a happy person. That's a worthy goal, and the pursuit of that is also hedonism.
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I think you're working with an incorrect view of what hedonism is.
I mean, you praise charity and condemn hedonism, but charity aimed at the relief of suffering is an example of hedonism.
IamYourYahaweh
*Banned*
No it's not. Why do people require a philosophy for how to live. Most philosophers I've read about from the past and the ones today are idiots. Imagine trying to learn about life and reality by reading other people's inputs who don't have the same life or reality as you. Such an ego trip this field
Everyone has a philosophy on how they ought to live that manifests whenever they make a decision.
It's impossible to escape.
I'd say it's way more egocentric to believe that one can come up with a better way to live entirely on their own without considering those who have confronted problems of existence in the past.
Great rebuttal.
Here's an adequate counterreply: Yes it is.
You read a bible for guidance, correct? If so, YOU'RE trying to learn about life and reality from ancients who literally didn't know where the rain came from or where the sun went at night and calling others idiots.
Regarding reality, I don't know what reality you live in, but mine is the one I live here on earth with everybody else including you. My circumstances might be different from yours, but even if you don't know it, our realities are the same. Action A under circumstances C result in the same outcome O for everybody, and most of us have a degree of control over our circumstances even if we don't know that or know how to take advantage of it.
English, please.
In philosophy there are several different schools of thought hedonism can refer to. Not sure which one we're meant to address here, but given the use of the word "good" which is a value judgement am I to assume we're talking about ethical hedonism specifically? That is, we have a moral obligation to avoid pain and seek pleasure? Most would consider that to be rather commonsensical. It's fairly universal to condemn "don't stab folks with knives" and praise "give hugs."
osgart
Nothing my eye, Something for sure
Hedonism is also pleasure by excessive self indulgence. That's the kind of pleasure I'm referring to.
I still draw a distinction between empty, hollow pleasures, vs. fulfilling desires.
Madsaac
Active Member
If you mean having too much of the 'good stuff' can become empty and unfulfilling, then yes.
But can never have too many things that make you feel good. For example, helping others can make you feel good.
Also, I think you need to experience the downs, those empty and unfulfilling times to appreciate the 'everyday' good things
PearlSeeker
Well-Known Member
To live a fulfilling life hedonic motivation has to be balanced with eudaimonic motivation. Sometimes a situation demands to do what is right at the expense of comfort and pleasure.
ChieftheCef
Well-Known Member
Kinds of Happiness
Eudaimonic happiness = being in touch with your true self, your atman, your daimon
Self transcending
Socrates “Keeping well ordered the daimon that lives within him, he must indeed be supremely happy”
Spending money, time, effort on the other
Hedonic happiness = vices, thrills, materialistic, grades, jobs, loves
Self enhancing
Spending money, time, effort on the self
“Only being hedonic makes us like grazing animals” without meaning or the other more philosophical happinesses (honestly a bit trite, but this is my notes)
Should have both, but not too much of either. A purpose for life helps avoid depression, anxiety and makes you better at being hurt and more positive affects.
Eudaimonic happiness = being in touch with your true self, your atman, your daimon
Self transcending
Socrates “Keeping well ordered the daimon that lives within him, he must indeed be supremely happy”
Spending money, time, effort on the other
Hedonic happiness = vices, thrills, materialistic, grades, jobs, loves
Self enhancing
Spending money, time, effort on the self
“Only being hedonic makes us like grazing animals” without meaning or the other more philosophical happinesses (honestly a bit trite, but this is my notes)
Should have both, but not too much of either. A purpose for life helps avoid depression, anxiety and makes you better at being hurt and more positive affects.