“Do what Thou Wilt…”

Who was it that once said that ignorance leads to unhappiness? And would we be correct in surmising that unhappiness leads to the loss of pleasure?

Psychological hedonism claims that human behaviour is motivated only by the desire to obtain maximum pleasure. We are all awaiting the next best opportunity for enjoyment like vultures circling a dying organism.

Over 2300 years have gone by since Epicurus inspired his followers with teachings on how to live an enjoyable life without pain or fear and that the highest good was peace of mind.
“It is impossible to live a pleasant life without living wisely and well and justly (agreeing ‘neither to harm nor be harmed’).
And it is impossible to live wisely and well and justly without living a pleasant life.” Epicurus
Born in Samos (Greece) in 341BC Epicurus became one of the most misunderstood philosophers. His teachings were not geared towards a life of over-eating and drinking in excess as it has come to be believed.
Do we instead believe that what Epicurus advocated should be taught to all primary and high school children in this day and age of consumerist activism and egotistical overindulgence; to counteract the stresses of modern-day living with engaging in small pleasures? Epicurus advocated a life of balance and inner peace. Equilibrium created between modest pleasures and life's travails and obstacles placed in our way.
Epicurus advocated the building of friendships and the striving to find the positive even in the most negative situations.
The following passage from the Letters of Epicurus is an absolute inspiration:
“When I maintain that pleasure is the end of life, I do not mean the pleasures of profligates and those that consist in sensuality, as is supposed by some people who are either ignorant, or disagree with me, or do not understand; I mean freedom from pain in the body and from trouble in the mind. It is not continuous enjoyment of fish and other luxuries of the wealthy table, which produce a pleasant life; no, it is sober reasoning, searching out the motives for all choice and all avoidance, and banishing mere prejudices, to which the greatest disturbances of the spirit are due.
I am thrilled with pleasure in the body, when I live on bread and water; and I spit upon luxurious pleasures, not for their own sake, but because of the inconveniences that follow from them.
Send me some preserved cheese, so that when I feel like it I can have a feast.”
Isn’t that just awe inspiring???
Some of us are aware of NLP and how this is overtly utilized to exploit our need to live out our “away from type personality”, and spurred on by our desire to attain and prolong pleasure. Some of us are totally devoted to the pursuit of pleasure, and most of us believe that only something pleasant may give rise to another pleasant thing and that moderation and a quiet nature are needed. We sacrifice or defer enjoyment in order that we may maximize our pleasure-potential-chances.
In Plato’s Phaedo Socrates suggests that a philosopher should separate his soul from his body through the cultivation of wisdom and the weaning oneself from our physical pleasures.
If we quote from The Leviathan, by Thomas Hobbes (1651) we read: ‘He believes the fundamental law of nature is ‘to seek peace, and follow it’; the ‘Passions that encline men to Peace, are Feare of Death; Desire of such things as are necessary to commodious living’, and ‘a Hope by their Industry to maintain them’.
To close, is it true that some of us are radically ethical in our pursuit of pleasure, displaying a je ne sais quoi blend of pleasure and altruism. Most philosophers actually deem intellectual pleasures as by far surpassing the painful outcome of misjudgment and investing energy in unworthy causes, Epicurus taught that life’s goal is happiness and that happiness was to be found in tranquility, wisdom and virtue.
We could continue elaborating on this topic and it is true that Epicurus recommended that we pursue our own pleasure. He did not, however, encourage us to live a selfish life which is of impediment to others achieving that some objective.

BB
Morgause

References:
Wikipedia, The Greek Way by Kathleen Freeman, the Oxford and Collins Dictionary, the Phaedo, Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes