Critical Pleasures

The study of pleasure is a critical part of understanding the actions people take. Aristotle takes the view that people always do the things that please themselves. It is the source of these desires and the resultant actions that have been debated through the centuries. Psychology and Philosophy both try to explain this.  The study of pleasure is a vast one that can go in quite a few directions. We can’t do an exhaustive study without taking a little time to organize the different faces of pleasure.

Character is judged by what we take pleasure in. We have seen how self-discipline is having the ability to delay a present pleasure for a while in order to get a more pleasing result. It is almost easier to study pleasure from the standpoint of what causes pain. Pain can be caused when we have too much of something, too little or the absence of it. Displeasure and grief indicates that a pleasure is missing somewhere. It might be manufactured where a person can be never satisfied when their expectations are unrealistic. It could be that a little patience is needed.  It might require a little adjustment in both areas. There are always expectations to look at along with the realities.  Expectations have to do with our desires and what it takes to satisfy them properly. The realities have to do with the costs and amount of work involved.

If we could find a way to please everyone, the world would be a perfect place to live. Why do people chase the things they do? What kind of pleasure is there in terrorizing others? Why are so many people on anti-anxiety drugs? What does it take to bring bliss? Religions, governments and social studies try to answer these questions. But the source of Bliss is pleasure; based in our heart’s desires, our soul’s satisfaction and our body’s appetites being appeased.  A deficiency in any of these areas can bring misery.  The thing about bliss is that it isn't a state of mind but something that has to be constantly tended and maintained.

This seems to be more of a reintroduction since I want to get this subject right. Pleasure is critical to understanding ethics. We want to do what is right and yet accomplish our dreams. Nations, businesses and families all want this and yet everyone has different interests. We don't want to live the life someone else thinks we should live but we get more pleasure with the things we initiate in our own lives. In a situation where everything is given to us by someone in exchange for loyalty, it is difficult to be happy. There is a God-likeness in all of us that wants to be free to do as we will. The conflict between the pleasure of comfort and the pleasure of freedom makes it hard to form governments and to govern ourselves. There is so much that this subject covers that it is hard to stick with the subject at hand and continue on with the flow. Let’s continue anyways and give it a shot.