Of What Importance is Pleasure in Life?

[Sunstone]

Of what importance is pleasure in life?

Can it reasonably be said that pleasure is a bit like fire. If misunderstood and mismanaged, it can burn. But if handled well and knowingly, it can be a source of warmth and light?

 

[dawny0826]

Of what importance is pleasure in life?

Can it reasonably be said that pleasure is a bit like fire. If misunderstood and mismanaged, it can burn. But if handled well and knowingly, it can be a source of warmth and light?

Sunstone, you are a poet, in case you didn't know it. (I'm a cheeseball, I know.)

If misunderstood and underestimated, pleasure can be addictive and dangerous. If approached and "handled" cautiously, it serves as a dynamite reward and motivational system.

 

[UnTheist]

Anything misunderstood and underestimated can be "addictive and dangerous", assuming it's desirable. No surprise there.

I think pleasure is of utmost importance.

 

[ChristineES]

Something pleasurable that one needs to do can no longer be called pleasurable because one will suffer if he or she does not have it.

 

[Idiolatry]

Something pleasurable that one needs to do can no longer be called pleasurable because one will suffer if he or she does not have it.

What about the pleasure and need of having God in your life? If you need God in your life, does that make it less pleasurable?

I agree that pleasure in your life is a necessity. Why do something if it brings no pleasure?

 

[ChristineES]

I don't worship God because I want pleasure, I worship because I feel He deserves to be worshiped. My life has not become a bed of roses just because I love God- I still have hard times.

Sex is pleasurable. If a man or woman needs to have sex- is addicted to it- then it ceases to be pleasurable and becomes a need.

 

[methylatedghosts]

I feel pleasure is very important. You know when you were in class as a child during role call and you had to say "here", well feeling good, i.e. pleasure.. is your soul's way of saying "here". Doing things that you enjoy, that make you feel good is only being true to your self!

And I believe it was Shakespeare who wrote something to the effect of:

To thine own self be true
and it must follow
that thou canst not be false to any man.


Or something like that.


So basically, having pleasure, feeling good, listening to your soul's "hey there" is, well.. not essential, but preferrable and I would even venture to say that it helps in your relationships with all else.

 

[Idiolatry]

I don't worship God because I want pleasure, I worship because I feel He deserves to be worshiped.

I didn't say you worship because you want pleasure. But, isn't it pleasurable to worship God?

Sex is pleasurable. If a man or woman needs to have sex- is addicted to it- then it ceases to be pleasurable and becomes a need.

If someone is addicted to worshiping God, does that make it less pleasurable to worship God?

 

[rojse]

Of what importance is pleasure in life?

Pleasure is paramount, and many people go to great lengths to receive pleasure.

 

[Caladan]

I believe the key is to accept the pleasures that come our way, but not to obsessively look for it.

 

[Ozzie]

Of what importance is pleasure in life?

Can it reasonably be said that pleasure is a bit like fire. If misunderstood and mismanaged, it can burn. But if handled well and knowingly, it can be a source of warmth and light?

Pleasure is a gamble. It is only as important as the importance a pleasure seeker attributes to attaining that pleasure.

 

[doppelganger]

Pleasure and pain define each other. To seek pleasure is to seek pain (or perhaps to be in pain). Not that there's anything wrong with that, mind you.

 

[Ben Dhyan]

Of what importance is pleasure in life?

Can it reasonably be said that pleasure is a bit like fire. If misunderstood and mismanaged, it can burn. But if handled well and knowingly, it can be a source of warmth and light?

Perhaps the importance of pleasure in life is in offering some temporary relief from it's ominous dark side,..pain.

But actually yes, it does seems reasonable that without wisdom and understanding in life, one can and will be constantly buffeted by the experiences of life such as pleasure and pain, joy and sadness, taking and giving, pride and humility, etc..

However the 'art' of 'handling well and knowingly' is not just a matter of consideration of the more desirable side of these pairs of complementary opposite experiences, but both, and as a result perhaps become one with the 'source of warmth and light' (and cold and dark) of all that is.