I've heard this used as an argument against hedonism. I've also seen it used with Tolstoy, that in his youth he was lustful and lived for pleasure, only to "mature intellectually" and change in his adulthood. So, how can a hedonist respond to this argument?

36 M I'm new to hedonism as a lifestyle so I'm looking for advice. I've never had any big, impactful life experiences like college or parties but I love pleasure of all kinds. Any tips for someone venturing into a new experience?

It's been a year since the last book thread it seems. I'm looking for suggestions for philosophy books on hedonism, pleasure/pain, or relevant topics.

I just finished reading Rem Edwards "Pleasure and Pain: A Theory of Qualitative Hedonism". I agreed with a few things he brought up, but I found myself disagreeing with him more. More importantly I felt he was too flowery and rambled unnecessarily when he was making a point. A lot of the times I had to reread what he was trying to say multiple times so I could "cut out the fat" and get the the core point he was trying to make. And it may be my personal preference, but I found his constant reference to Brave New World would make me kind of check out while reading. I understand analogies, but it felt like he used it so often he was treating it as if it wasn't a fictional novel.

I'm reading Phillip Mitsis "Epicuris Ethical Theory: The Pleasure of Invulnerability". I'm only about 30 pages in but this is is much easier to digest. I find myself agreeing a lot with his points on how Epicurus treated pleasures. I'm hoping the rest of the book is as good as the first 30 pages.

Anyone have any recommendations? I have tigre's "The Pursuit of Pleasure" checked out, but I may bring that one back and read another time. Don't think I want to tackle that size of a book right now.

Anyone going for mochafest (9/20/25-9/27/25)?

I’ll causally bring up hedonism in conversation with well educated peers and even they think I’m referring to the sexuality of it all. I’m just curious about the history behind this change. Anybody have anything for me?

And hopefully die within a week or 2. I’m broke and don’t have a job I don’t want to be broke and all the way in another country. I’m gonna take the train as far as I can ride a ferry maybe people will call the police on me. Maybe I’ll be out in the middle of the night because I’m not paying for a hotel I’m exhausted and depressed I don’t have anything better to do.

LIT Magazine published my essay "The Hedonists' Checklists" today. The essay is a culinary adventure that explores the meaning of novelty, obsession, burnout, and whether one can ever truly return to a previous state. In short, it deals with hedonism.

Please see a short taste of the essay below.
"The glistening ribs plucked from the broth were like revelation precariously grasped between our chopsticks. With our first bites the world bared its soul, showing us possibilities we had never considered. With the next, we tuned into flavors we would later come to crave. And when we had finished, we knew we would never stop searching for what might come next–each new meal an exclamation mark on a life composed entirely of ellipses."

I wish being high on weed all the time wouldn’t significantly lower my life expectancy.

I wish I didn’t care about the consequences my actions have. I have free will and I have consequences. I know pain. If it’s so traumatic and life changing when you don’t deserve it imagine what it must feel like when you do deserve it. I wish I could turn my morals off. I laugh off when I’m watching movies or tv shows. But honestly I’m just tired. I’d be better off if I was a narcissist, if I didn’t care how people felt, if I used people. Being a good person is hard.

I see myself as a hedonist, but also a hermit. Most of the drug use I indulge in (which is quite a bit) is done solo. I don’t go to parties, and I’m celibate. Still, I live by the principle of extracting as much pleasure from life as possible.

So what do you think? Is conservative hedonism a thing?

How much of our sexuality is spent in the present and how much of it is chasing sparks from our past? Find out in the latest essay from Caligula Clash, “Nostalgia Machine”.

https://youvegotanotherthingcumming.substack.com/p/nostalgia-machine

Hi Everyone , I am posting here to tell everyone , that this year I would be open to every pleasure and desire , and i shall work towards earning them , for some background as to why i joined this group , Like for a long time since my teens, i was easily distracted into any pleasureful activity and after some bad addictions , i became total nihilistic , until one day when i had the epiphany as to why should i seek pleasure if any action whether it is food or sex , or travel , if anything that makes my heart race and gives me dopamine , and keeps me high , if my thoughts are also consistent and positive then there is no problem in seeking and having pleasure, be of any kind . That's how i decided it to be my lifepath . I decided that i shall never have guilt , regret or sadness of any kind. This is why i am declaring here in this subreddit , that i shall make this year full of passionate activities (be of any kind). For me pleasure could come from any activity be it travel , food or people.

Have a nice Day. STAY HEDONISTIC.

hedonism can be simplified down too maximum pleasure minimum struggle/pain (not necessarily in physical sense but yk) if for example someone has a terminal illness that’s painful and debilitating, suicide could be seen as the hedonistic act. what about denying care to end life sooner?

now what if we take these same ideas for someone depressed, they don’t look forward to life for whatever reason, and don’t want to get better. would suicide be hedonistic? i would say yes, ethical hedonists (which sounds closer to utilitarianism from my small research) might argue no using the hedonistic calculator you could argue that the grief spread to others out ways the pleasure, or rather lack of pain of one person

"There is but one truly serious philosophical problem and that is suicide."

i beg it gets turned into a philosophical one because those twats have 17 different subreddits, and we don’t have one over 1000 members

I just don't understand. Don't you feel like a waste of space when you are not after pursing your work and trying to become a better person? Is it just because that was too hard so you decided hedonism was the next best thing? I honestly want to know how you came to this conclusion and also do any of you know somewhat about how dopamine works? Just a curious person, not trying to criticize just asking my most dire questions.

I feel like I am pretty much a complete hedonist, I spend all my free time doing drugs, drinking and having sex. On that party grind. I still work but only to pay for my vices. I put all my effort into having pleasurable experiences, but it’s torn me to pieces. I am beyond bored with everything to the point where i only talk with my family occasionally and my gf when I see her, but other than that I’m mostly isolated. I spent my high school years letting myself be groomed so I could get high without working a job, big mistake obviously, and now I can’t get through a day without wanting to rip my eyes out, it’s not only that I feel shitty about everything, I feel bored. Bored of people, now of indulgence, bored of life, yet I’m still spending everyday of my life abusing substances to leave this boring world even if only for a few hours. Life is painful to live through, if I’m not losing my mind having a breakdown because of my trauma, then I’m losing my mind trying to find any pleasure or purpose in my life. I’m not going to change my ways though, I already know that. I couldn’t settle down and start a family or go find a meaningful career or anything. It’s all a waste of time to me and it’s just so frustrating that I’ve fallen so far from expectations. I was always the gifted kid growing up and I threw it away and now I can never get back to being the person I was supposed to be. What do I do with myself? Do I end it all because in the end there’s no point to continue when I’ve robbed myself of the ability to feel happiness and pleasure? Do I become a working class slave to the rich? Do I commit some heinous crime that will make me remembered forever? I just don’t know anymore.

What happens when an individual, and even a whole culture, run out of forbidden fruits to chase? Where do we go when it seems like everything is permitted and nothing is naughty anymore?

Come explore find out in my latest essay:

https://youvegotanotherthingcumming.substack.com/p/not-dirty-enough

Not sure how to descibe it other than burn out.

I do everything myself, I jump buildings, dance, go out and just do whatever.... but sometimes I run into this phase where I feel completely burnt out and out of ideas.... and most people seem to do nothing unless told so usally I just do things solo so not to feel bitter towards them.

But now after at least 3 years of fighting the burn out by expanding and doing more and more.... I sometimes wonder what will happen when I can't find anything new beyond the ... less delightful or more harmful things (I refuse to lie to, manipulate, or harm others, but all else is fair gain for me)

Lately this has been kinda having me taking time to wonder what will I do when I no longer can be enough to keep myself satisfied....

Don't know if anyone else here has gotten to that point, or have any stories to share. But I figure I would get on this now and be proactive, as lately I feel I am losing myself again.... and I don't want that to happen again.... that was my childhood, but unlike then.... there is no enemy or opposing force to focus on.

...

I don't know, anyone here want to share their ideas?

The importance of water is something that we all know and hence also that of maintaining peace and tranquility in the mind as well as the body, now what better way to grant this than jacuzzis and hot tubs?

Now many physiologists have commented on the benefits this has on our cardiovascular system such as Christopher Minson of Oregon in his paper, Passive heat therapy improves endothelial function, arterial stiffness and blood pressure in sedentary humans (2016)

And the physician, Oliver Wendell Holmes who lived in the early era of the US says

Take a music bath once or twice a week for a few seasons, and you will find that it is to the soul what the water bath is to the body.

And this is even more the case when we have a splash of drink which will put us in a light mood for even Socrates as recorded by Xenophon in his Symposium says

we shall not be violently driven on by wine to drunkenness, but with sweet seduction reach the goal of sportive levity.

The importance here is that drunkenness in hot tubs can be problematic but having just the right amount will delight the ambiance.

And what is also beneficial is that the release of tension puts men in a better mind for the reflection of those graceful and polite things that enhance humanity, his mind relaxed and not the prey of agitators.

We can also think of cherries, grapes, and other dainties such as is seen at the spa, the stock footage below depicts some ladies in winter drinking champagne in a jacuzzi.

It has often been the case that jacuzzis served as a delicious experience for men and women and also among those who like the erotic company of the same sex. All humans appreciate warm water, it being in our nature to do so.

We see scenes depicting the use of them such as in Ferris Bueller, Austin Powers, and in dramas such as Charlie Wilson's War.

And we even see how the American classics appreciated them hence Jane Mansfield was promoted in this stellar photograph of her chit-chatting in a bubble bath.

And Homer in the famous Odyssey has king Alcinous say in book 8

To dress, to dance, to sing, our sole delight,
The feast or bath by day, and love by night:

And there are even penthouse owners who rent their properties to tourists and install a jacuzzi on the roof such as we see in this image below

I could go on and on but I think I have made my case.

I think many concepts of decency and morality are simply in place to stop humans from realizing their full potential. If anyone is interested, please DM me and let's exchange ideas.