The Philosophy of Pleasure

Many individuals think that the purpose of life is to maximize one’s pleasure. For example, maximizing your sexual pleasure, maximizing your aesthetic pleasure, maximizing your pleasure from possessions, things, food, and lifestyle.

But, pleasure for the sake of pleasure isn’t the goal. One of the very interesting ideas I got from the book Ready Player Two is thinking —

If you could indeed record your physiological state, and your pleasure, and have somebody else experience it, what is the purpose of pleasure in the first place?

I think pleasure is best described as a feeling of ascending power. For example, when you make money, get more money, or see your investments go up, there is a certain feeling of pleasure, which is good because it feels as if we are becoming more strong and powerful.

For myself, some of the greatest pleasure that I get is when I attempt a new one rep max, and I achieve a new personal record. And the funny thing is even if I fail my one reo max attempt, there is also a certain pleasure associated with me having the courage to attempt it in the first place. Also a sense of relief that after attempting a one rep max and even though I failed, I did not injure or hurt myself.

Also, there’s a certain pleasure from thinking, or obtaining interesting ideas. Perhaps the ideas themselves are totems of power, knowledge, and ascendance.

Ironically enough there is also a sense of pleasure associated with restraint, or abstinence. For example, when I see everybody else around me eating cake, and I decide to abstain, there is a certain pleasure that I have in knowing that I have this restraint, and self willpower, and also self knowledge knowing what food is bad for me. Also perhaps the feeling of pleasure from feeling superior.

What we desire is not pleasure in itself, but, the feeling of ascendancy, growth, and becoming stronger and more powerful.

Therefore, it is good that we humans can feel pleasure, but avoid getting suckered by the notion of pleasure for pleasure sake.

Essays by KIM

  1. What Interests You?
  2. Anti Theory of Everything
  3. Become?
  4. STRONGER OR NOT?
  5. Carte Blanche Ideals
  6. CHOOSE JOY
  7. Don’t Judge Your Impulses
  8. On Becoming Less Human
  9. COWARDICE.
  10. The Philosophy of Futurism
  11. PHILOSOPHY IS VALUE-SETTING
  12. PHILOSOPHY IS NOT LIFESTYLE
  13. WHY STANDARDIZATION IS BAD.
  14. YOUR OWN TABLE OF VALUES.
  15. RETRO IS BAD.
  16. INSANELY LOFTY THOUGHTS.
  17. Strive to *Lose* Weight, Not *Gain* Weight
  18. DIABLO II ANALOGIES FOR REAL LIFE.
  19. If You Know Your *WHY* You Can Discover Any *HOW*
  20. Life is Too Short to Be Miserable
  21. What Consumption Takes Skill?
  22. OFF THE GRID.
  23. REALITY IS CRUEL.
  24. Pain is Information
  25. WHY REMOVE VULGARITY AND DISORDER FROM OUR EYES?
  26. AUTOTELIC.
  27. UNPLUG.
  28. How to Become a Philosopher
  29. SUBOPTIMAL IS OPTIMAL
  30. THE LUST FOR MORE.
  31. TO DO IS TO BECOME.
  32. IN PRAISE OF AGGRESSIVE.
  33. THE PHILOSOPHY OF OPTIMISM
  34. OUR PHILOSOPHICAL WILL TO EXISTENCE
  35. Is Hope a Vice?
  36. MOVE MEAN
  37. Carte Blanche Ideals
  38. One Interesting Thought
  39. What Lasts? What Doesn’t Last?
  40. A WOUND STIMULATES THE RECUPERATIVE POWERS
  41. Children & Purpose
  42. Thoughts on Becoming a Parent
  43. Where Does Our Desire to Upgrade Come From?
  44. WE ALWAYS NEED SOMETHING FURTHER TO ASPIRE TO.
  45. Self-Task Yourself an Awesome Mission in Life
  46. Differentiation vs Equalization
  47. My Passion to *Become* Something More
  48. No Aesthetic or Ethos is Forever
  49. What is Your Higher Purpose in Life?
  50. IT WILL NEVER SATISFY YOU.
  51. How to Decide
  52. Things You *Want* to Do vs Things You *MUST* Do
  53. Towards a More Beautiful Mode of Existence and Future
  54. EXTREME GRATITUDE.
  55. AMAP (As Much as Possible) or None.
  56. Why or How Does it Matter?
  57. The Philosophy of Time and Events
  58. How *Not* to Resent
  59. FORWARD LOOKING
  60. DOMAIN FLEXIBILITY.
  61. The Miracle of Human Growth
  62. EXTREME ADAPTATION.
  63. Why Plan?
  64. You Don’t Need to Justify Yourself
  65. The Philosophy of Ego
  66. True vs False Passions
  67. How to Achieve Tranquility
  68. On Making Your Own Philosophy
  69. The Purpose of Life is to Create New Life
  70. Think On!
  71. The Wisdom of Doing Nothing
  72. Congruency
  73. My Thoughts on Meditation
  74. The Philosophy of Purpose
  75. Emulate Yourself
  76. Good Fear, Bad Fear
  77. For the Betterment of Humanity or Just Yourself?
  78. What you *really* believe in and care for is manifested through your actions (or non-actions)
  79. Why Culture is Your Enemy
  80. YOUR EXPERIENCES ARE KING.
  81. LIFE IS INHERENTLY GOOD.
  82. Artistic, Physical, and Philosophical Muscles
  83. All New Experiences are Good Experiences
  84. What is the Purpose of X?
  85. UTILITY.
  86. Philosophy is a Luxury
  87. The Attempt is More Interesting than the Result
  88. Joyfulness vs “Happiness”
  89. Effectiveness Over Happiness
  90. Self Actualization
  91. MAXIMAL ENGAGEMENT
  92. Life & Pain
  93. On Living Every Day with No Regret
  94. Learn as if you’re going to live forever, live as if you’re going to die tomorrow
  95. Live Every Day Like it Were the Last Day of Your Life
  96. Self-Determination
  97. FALSE GRATITUDE vs REAL GRATITUDE
  98. HOW TO LIVE MORE
  99. THE UPSIDE OF TRAGEDY
  100. Satisfaction is a Sucker’s Game
  101. Supreme Repose
  102. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF LIFE? According to ERIC KIM
  103. STUBBORN, FLEXIBLE
  104. EVERYTHING HAPPENS AS IT *SHOULD* HAVE HAD HAPPENED
  105. Good Addiction, Bad Addiction?
  106. What is the Best Life?
  107. The Philosophy of Thinking
  108. The Philosophy of Conspiracies
  109. Conspiracies
  110. Growth
  111. Skepticism.
  112. What Do You Really Want Out of Life?
  113. Seem or Be?
  114. Learn Through Pain
  115. Respect Yourself
  116. In Praise of Elitism
  117. Why Independent Thinking?
  118. I Will Never Die
  119. Bitter is Better
  120. The Genesis of Nihilism and Existential Dread
  121. The Ethics of Personal Enrichment
  122. Good vs Not Good
  123. Punished by Privilege
  124. Abstinence Over Moderation
  125. Just Leave Others Alone
  126. You Can Only Critique that Which You Truly Understand and Love
  127. ERIC KIM Critique of Metaphysics
  128. Only Trust Philosophers Who Deadlift
  129. Heuristic: If Someone Talks Shit About Others Behind Their Back, Most Likely They’re Also Talking Shit About You Behind Your Back
  130. Virtue is a Privilege
  131. What Are Your Life Goals?
  132. Honesty
  133. Why I’m Anti Moderation
  134. No Spite, No Malice.
  135. Ascending Life or Descending Life?
  136. Double Edged Sword
  137. Ignorance.
  138. Why I Don’t Trust “Nice Guys”
  139. Why You Must Share Your Opinion
  140. Selfish Isn’t Evil
  141. Wisdom is the Goal
  142. YOU ARE KING.
  143. MASTER YOURSELF
  144. What is “Good” for You is Often what is Bad for You
  145. Care.
  146. BITTERSWEET
  147. ONE REP MAX
  148. Morality and Ethics is the Snare
  149. BY HELPING YOURSELF, YOU BEST HELP OTHERS
  150. Insanity is Good.
  151. Think Deep.
  152. PHILOSOPHY IS THE FUTURE.
  153. Open Mind vs Closed Mind
  154. ENTHUSIASM IS GENIUS
  155. Towards a More Critical and Rigorous Line of Thinking
  156. How to Encourage and a Foster Independent and Free Thinking
  157. What is the Purpose of Life?
  158. WHY PHILOSOPHY IS SUPREME.
  159. Elitism.
  160. I Cannot Form an Opinion About Somebody Until I’ve Met Them in the Flesh
  161. ALL GENETICS ARE GOOD GENETICS.
  162. Happiness vs Freedom
  163. The Birth of a Hater
  164. My Way Isn’t the Right Way
  165. Walking as an Existential Thing
  166. Why I’m So Tolerant
  167. Mortal Gods
  168. THE HUMAN SPECIES
  169. Why I’m So Skeptical
  170. Just Follow the Money
  171. Why Selfish?
  172. WHY WE CANNOT BLAME OTHERS
  173. Why Are We So Anti Elitism?
  174. What Actually Interests You?
  175. How to Become Yourself
  176. SELF HATE
  177. Optimistic Fatalism
  178. Death is the Ultimate Creative Constraint
  179. FLUX.
  180. How to Think for Yourself
  181. FLESH
  182. How to Live the Best Life
  183. Why Live a Life Without Regrets?
  184. Why Plato Ruined Art and Aesthetics for Us
  185. Self Respect
  186. Hypocrite vs Contradict
  187. Ideals vs Reality
  188. Spaceship Philosophy
  189. What is Your Ideal Life?
  190. MY EXTREME GRATITUDE TOWARDS LIFE AND BEING ALIVE!
  191. Critique of Utilitarianism
  192. Don’t Treat Others the Way You Want to Be Treated
  193. The Eternal Recurrence of Tragedy and Joy in Life
  194. Elite Asceticism
  195. Why I Don’t Like Numbers
  196. Action and Reaction, Cause and Effect
  197. The Antidote to Nihilism: The Philosophy of Nothingness
  198. ERIC KIM Notes on Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
  199. EXPLOIT CHAOS.
  200. WHY I DON’T BELIEVE IN GENETICS
  201. Self-Wisdom
  202. The Future Belongs to the Fearless
  203. INDIVIDUALISM
  204. Why Live Forever?
  205. THIS TOO WILL PASS.
  206. Why Education?
  207. How to Become Yourself
  208. Things Shouldn’t Go Back to the Way They Used to Be
  209. Why Am I So Cruel?
  210. The Great Joy of Existence
  211. Virtue for the Sake of Virtue
  212. NO DISDAIN.
  213. INTELLIGENT IGNORANCE
  214. A LIFE WITHOUT PAIN, DIFFICULTY OR TRAGEDY ISN’T A LIFE WORTH LIVING
  215. BITTER IS BETTER.
  216. EXPLOIT THE BEST FROM TRAGEDY AND LIFE 
  217. DISREGARD FOR SELF-PRESERVATION
  218. PAIN.
  219. WHAT IF EVERYTHING IS NOT GONNA BE ALRIGHT?
  220. Tomorrow is Never
  221. Life is the Ultimate Creative Constraint
  222. EMBODIED REALITY
  223. BLACK SWAN
  224. THINGS WILL NEVER GO BACK TO THE WAY THEY USED TO BE
  225. What are you *really* afraid of?
  226. HAPPINESS ISN’T THE GOAL
  227. Philosophy is King
  228. Why is Selfish Evil?
  229. YOU’RE CONSTANTLY IN A STATE OF BECOMING
  230. ENTITLEMENT A SIN?
  231. NARCISSISM
  232. BE BRUTALLY HONEST WITH YOURSELF
  233. WHY FREE WILL?
  234. OBEY YOUR OPINION
  235. EGO IS GOOD.
  236. WHY IT IS GOOD TO BE INTO YOURSELF
  237. Seek the Good Pain
  238. Anti-Perfection in Photography, Art, and Life
  239. Can You Become an End into Yourself?
  240. WHY I LIVE
  241. Why I Hate Decline
  242. Why I Eat
  243. Why am I So Positive and Optimistic?
  244. EFFORT IS ENJOYMENT
  245. Never Stop Gaining
  246. TRUST YOURSELF
  247. A Life of Maximal Personal Independence
  248. What Do You Desire to Become?
  249. What Do I Want from Technology?
  250. Stratified Society
  251. Do You Love or Hate Reality?
  252. On the Brian, Body and Mind
  253. I’m Maximally Happy, Now What?
  254. Care over Fame
  255. ACTIVE NIHILISM
  256. Never Stop Subtracting
  257. How to Live a Happier and More Epic Life
  258. A Risker Life is a Better Life
  259. Only Work on Things You Can Imagine Doing for Eternity
  260. How to Maximize Your Happiness
  261. Influence
  262. The Gladiator Makes His Plans once He Enters the Ring
  263. Meditations on Meaning in Life
  264. There is Nothing More Interesting than Human Beings
  265. Is Hope a Vice?
  266. EGO
  267. Why Be Unique?
  268. Happiness is Metabolism Health and Strength
  269. You’re the Hero
  270. Is Productivity a Virtue or Vice?
  271. Why Do We Prize the Rare?
  272. The Joy of Uncertainty
  273. How Should I Best Use My Time and Life?
  274. A Life Without Pain or Suffering Isn’t a Life Worth Living
  275. Free or Unfree?
  276. What Do You Really Care For in Life?
  277. Anti-Satisfaction in Life
  278. Why Think?
  279. The Eternal Return
  280. Only Do What is Best for You!
  281. Truthiness
  282. Why Be Happy?
  283. Permissionless Living
  284. In Praise of Unconventional Wisdom
  285. Become the Change Which You Wish to See in the World
  286. Happiness
  287. Beyond Freedom
  288. Idolize People, Not Stuff
  289. What Makes You Stronger? What Makes You Weaker?
  290. Why Hate?
  291. The Secret of Happiness
  292. You’re Constantly in a State of Becoming
  293. Life is about Choices, Not Obligations
  294. Anti-Nihilism
  295. First, Do What is Best for You.
  296. Live Dynamic
  297. How to Prosper
  298. Is the Point of Life to Be Satisfied?
  299. SUPREME EFFORT OF WILL.
  300. How to Become more Idealistic
  301. Thrivival 101
  302. Create Yourself
  303. Non-Small
  304. Inspiration
  305. How to Live a Heroic Life: Dare the Heights!
  306. Human Augmentation
  307. Prune
  308. Happiness: Do What You Want to Do (And Don’t Do What You Don’t Want to Do)
  309. Avoid Vain (Empty) Pursuits in Life
  310. Modern Slavery
  311. Kill the Leeches
  312. Wisdom Augmentation
  313. Why We Need Friction in Life
  314. Straight Line Philosophy
  315. What’s Your End-Game in Life?
  316. Create Your Own Happiness Today
  317. Desire Both Pain and Pleasure in Life
  318. Try the Impossible
  319. SELF-RESPECT
  320. Anti-Social Extrovert
  321. Never Blame Anybody But Yourself
  322. Human Flourishing
  323. Simpler, Not Better.
  324. How to be Free
  325. Embrace the Extremes
  326. Cultivate Your Own Culture
  327. COURAGE.
  328. Thrivival
  329. Inner Power
  330. How to Live a Purposeful Life
  331. My Definition of Happiness
  332. Why Change is Good
  333. Why Work?
  334. How to Live the Happiest Possible Life
  335. The Two-Pronged Approach to Maximize Joy in Your Life
  336. You Always Have Another Option!
  337. INFINITISM
  338. Never Stop!
  339. What is Your Self-Directed Purpose in Life?
  340. Live Today Like it Were Your Last
  341. Do You Photograph to Live, or Live to Photograph?
  342. ARTIST-PHILOSOPHER
  343. Live Life to the Fullest!
  344. In Praise of Selfishness
  345. Why You Must Be a YAY-SAYER to Succeed in Entrepreneurship and Life
  346. Why I Love Walking
  347. Live Life Like a Video Game!
  348. Simple Luxuries in Life
  349. Treat Your Life Like a Fun Experiment!
  350. Only Prove it to Yourself
  351. You Don’t Always Need to Feel Joyful to Live a Fulfilling and Meaningful Life
  352. Life is Too Short to Be Bored!
  353. Money Cannot Destroy Boredom
  354. How to Find Inspiration in Life
  355. Why You Must Ignore Haters to Succeed and Win in Life
  356. An Active Life is a Happy Life
  357. My Simple Joys in Life
  358. Never Stop Striving
  359. How to Motivate Yourself in Life
  360. How to Be Optimistic in Life
  361. How to Dictate Your Purpose in Life
  362. In Praise of a Dynamic Life
  363. PURPOSE.
  364. How to Enjoy Life
  365. Photography Therapy
  366. How to Conquer Regret
  367. Take Your Play Very Seriously.
  368. How to Prosper
  369. Memento Vivere
  370. Destroy in Order to CREATE
  371. Trust Your Body More Than Your Mind
  372. Make Photos to Make Meaning in Your Life
  373. Seek Knowledge, Not Information
  374. The Purpose of Human Life
  375. How to Overcome Impedence
  376. Why I Love Death
  377. How to Be Centered in the Eternal Now
  378. How to Be Happy
  379. Why Do You Care What Others Think of You?
  380. Why I’m Happy
  381. Why?
  382. Why I’m So Prolific
  383. How to Reduce LAG in Life

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