PURSUIT OF PLEASURE

 I bet you have guessed the topic I am about to enumerate by looking at the picture above. 

Yes. You are right! It is

Hedonism is defined as a way of life that upholds pleasure as the highest need for mankind. A pursuit for pleasure has been the desire of man right from the day or even, may I say, from the moment of his birth. 

Pleasure is experienced by our five senses. I see, I hear, I smell, I taste, I touch. I WANT. 

A newborn baby cries out as soon as it is born. What does it want? I used to think it was upset at having to leave the warm confines of its mother's womb but doctors say it does this to expel fluid from the lungs and breathe naturally. The baby instinctively knows what to do to survive. Once it has adjusted to the new way of life, its natural tendency is to sleep or suckle. 

As the mother holds her baby, it smells her, hears her voice and can see her somewhat hazily. Her touch is heaven to it and, when she holds it to her breast and guides its tiny little mouth to suckle, the baby's pleasure knows no bounds as it tastes and satisfies its most urgent need. 

Thus, all five senses are receiving pleasure - sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. And as the baby grows into a toddler, then a child, then a teenager and finally into an adult, these five senses continue to give it pleasure repeatedly. 

The same child or adult can also experience pain through the five senses. Seeing a sad movie, hearing the abuses of a violent parent, smelling the acrid fumes of burning garbage, tasting bitter medicine and touching the cold corpse of a dead family member can cause anguish in it. 

Is hedonism bad? Is pain good? It all depends on the person. 

Hedonism is the pursuit of pleasure for pleasure's sake. We see this especially in teenagers. I remember, as a teen, the only thing that gave me and my group intense pleasure was to do anything forbidden. I think all teens will agree with me. Its an age when our elders need to be proven wrong. 

So, late nights, overnight parties, co-ed picnics, brazen display of body parts, eating lavishly, binge-drinking, clandestine meetings, and even the dreaded trio of drugs, alcohol and sex were the things to do. Nowadays, theres much more thanks to internet but you get my drift. 

How long does a pleasure last? Can anyone answer this question? A pleasure lasts the moment you indulge in it. The anticipation gives you the pleasure but the act itself may not. 

I recall, as children, we used to fantasise about midnight feasts because we had read many Enid Blyton books. One night, my cousin and I decided to have one. We collected all the snacks and drinks and carefully hid them so my aunt wouldn't find out. We waited impatiently for her to go to sleep. And once, we were safely able to begin our feast, we switched on our torches, brought out the goodies and started opening them. Till then, our excitement was sky high. Then, as we ate the first bite and sipped our first drink, the balloon deflated. 

The same can be said for all other pleasures. The pleasure of reading  a book is over once you know the plot, the pleasure of watching a movie ends when it ends. And then, we move on in search of a new pleasure, another something to satiate the senses.

When does hedonism become a problem? 

A person who pursues pleasure for pleasure's sake is never satisfied. He is always seeking a new 'high'. Take pornography, for instance. What has driven this multi-billion industry? Curiosity coupled with hedonism. We want to see what people do in the confines of their bedroom. We seek to derive pleasure from that. Our eyes and ears become channels to bring this pleasure to our body. Dopamine levels rise and we feel great for the time we watch porn. And then what? 

Don't get me wrong. There is pleasure in smelling a rose and in cuddling a baby. There is pleasure in looking after a sick parent. There is also pleasure in playing charades at a party. I get a deep sense of satisfaction when my son cuddles upto me at night and that's pleasure too. The smell of a freshly baked cake is irresistible. And whose mouth doesn't water when the mind flashes "Pizza" or "Butter chicken" or any other favourite dish? A special song plays at a wedding or from a neighbor's house and immediately I am nostalgic. All these give us immense pleasure. 

However, overindulgence to the point of drunkenness, debauchery, lack of self-control, and especially when one's actions can self-harm or harm others is a definite NO-NO. 

 

The Bible talks about this in several places. Here's an example:

Many people in their pursuit of pleasure have destroyed their lives, caused suffering to their families and been reduced to poverty. Some have even given up on life and ended it. 

Joy is permanent. You cannot take joy away from a person. Because JOY is the person of JESUS CHRIST. Joy cannot be felt by the five senses, it is only felt by the spirit in you. That spirit which is closely connected with Christ. For a newborn baby, its mother is Christ. For a hungry child, the hand that feeds it is the hand of Christ. For a wayward teen, the hug of his counsellor or spiritual director becomes the embrace of Jesus. For an adult trapped in the world of illusion through porn and adultery, the Cross is his or her only WAY OUT. 

JOY is the anagram for 

JESUS FIRST

OTHERS NEXT

YOU LAST

Pleasure is fleeting. Joy lasts forever.