View Full Version : Hedonism
ebacon
12-14-2013, 08:05 PM
Do you guys have experience in the religious aspects of hedonism?
During college one of my best friends was a Hindu priest. We had a moment together and he said something that has burned holes in my mind.
He said that while he was training for priesthood he learned three ways to achieve it. The first was to be born into it. The second was to be schooled into it, which was his path.
The third was to learn from failure, e.g. hedonism.
We had that conversation when we were in our twenties. Twenty years later there is one part of that conversation that echoes -- my friend said that he didn't believe in the perspective of hedonism until he met me.
To this day I don't trust religious leaders unless they speak as close to the truth as he did.
We never became common friends, but the quiet moment we shared made me realize the fine line that real politics dances on.
bobabode
12-14-2013, 08:35 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2P_RJJYjzY
Veering OT but it's a good tune, Ed.;)
bobabode
12-14-2013, 08:38 PM
More serious now. As far as I can see, hedonism and religion are antithetical. Then we had the rise of the televangelists in the '70s and '80s.
finnbow
12-15-2013, 06:00 AM
More serious now. As far as I can see, hedonism and religion are antithetical. Then we had the rise of the televangelists in the '70s and '80s.
Given the choice, I'll pick hedonism. Every time.;)
BlueStreak
12-15-2013, 06:55 AM
I know a woman who raised in strict religious family. She followed the religious path to please her family, an ordained Minister and holds a Master of Divinity. Then, she went back to college one more time seeking some other Theology degree and fell to the temptation of Hedonism. Even worked as a stripper and occasionally ".....other things that I'm not too proud of." for a couple years. Sex-n-drugs and Rock-n-Roll, BABY!
Now, she's confused. She'll quote Bible verse while discussing what's wrong with todays society in one breath, then strike up a conversation about BDSM/oral/anal/bisexual/group sex and the effects of mixing weed and alcohol with cocaine in the next.
Dave
merrylander
12-15-2013, 08:01 AM
The current defenition of hedonism sems to be only concerned with sex whereas it used to mean that pleasure was the highest good, so define pleasure. Surely one can find pleasure in many ways and places.
donquixote99
12-15-2013, 08:14 AM
The current defenition of hedonism sems to be only concerned with sex whereas it used to mean that pleasure was the highest good, so define pleasure. Surely one can find pleasure in many ways and places.
Exactly. People always identify 'hedonism' with various extremes. Can't one be a hedonist and enjoy walks in the park and afternoon tea?
It can of course be argued that many churchies are hedonists too--they just enjoy being respectable churchgoers.
What goes on, though, is that persons who have totally rejected certain areas of pleasure, due to adherence to strict rules, have no judgement and experience to enable them to exercise any restraint, if they let the rules go.
A quote has turned up that notes this pattern:
When they come downstairs from their Ivory Towers, Idealists are very apt to walk straight into the gutter.
- Logan Pearsall Smith, 1865 - 1946
www.qotd.org
BlueStreak
12-15-2013, 08:53 AM
I thought that was "indulgence"?
Dave
Charles
12-15-2013, 12:29 PM
A quote has turned up that notes this pattern:
When they come downstairs from their Ivory Towers, Idealists are very apt to walk straight into the gutter.
- Logan Pearsall Smith, 1865 - 1946
www.qotd.org
Funny you should bring that up.
I've noticed than when a lot of people crawl out of the gutter and ascent to their Ivory Tower they become Idealists. Often insufferable Idealists.
Or in the words of Cap't Jack, "There ain't no sumbitch like a REFORMED sumbitch."
Chas
donquixote99
12-15-2013, 02:15 PM
Interesting lives these people have, anyway.
bobabode
12-15-2013, 02:35 PM
Given the choice, I'll pick hedonism. Every time.;)
Eat, drink and be merry!:)
ebacon
12-16-2013, 09:16 AM
I don't know the exact definition of hedonism that my friend had in mind.
To me it just makes sense that it is possible to approach the "truth" from several paths. In that regard an approach from the dark side, or hedonistic side, or whatever, is just as likely to arrive at the same "truth" as an approach from the light side.
An example in the business context might be that failure is simply finding out what doesn't work. In a similar manner a hedonist might find the dark corners of alcohol, drugs, etc, and be more qualified to discuss those topics compassionately and with gradations. People that have never been to the dark side seem to see all bad behavior as really bad. Those are the noisy "soap box" preacher types.
donquixote99
12-17-2013, 09:59 PM
Here is a banner, described as haveing been seen in the "October [2012]TUC march."
http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mc714lwX1b1qdnttuo1_1280.jpg
Questions:
1. Is the banner-writer a hedonist?
2. Is there some compelling reason they should feel differently?
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