Hedonism

Hedonism. Pleasure over pain. A lifestyle worthy of the gods. That's just it. Are we worthy? Are we mere mortals worthy of a lifestyle created for the pursuit of pure pleasure? Pleasure that surpasses any pain we could ever experience? Well, whether we are worthy of this lifestyle or not, we, as human beings, chose to live hedonistic lifestyles. This choice is made in infancy when we are taught that we cannot have each and every thing we want whenever we want it. As babies, our first contact with the adult world is through our pleas for attention and the immediate and accurate responses they receive. As we grow and are able to fulfill our own needs, we are no longer the center of attention and must cope with the fact that we are susceptible to the trials and tribulations of the world. This hurts. It hurts like hell. We are instantly shoved from our fluffy little clouds of perfection and plummet thousands of feet into reality. At least thats what happens to most of us. Some are able to float on those clouds for awhile longer, but the longer they float, the harder they fall.
Here is where we decide to be hedonists. Because we realize that we cannot possibly have each and every thing we want whenever we want it, we decide to focus our energies on the things that bring us pleasure while simultaneously allowing us to forget the pain. Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll are all tools of hedonists. But we can add money and power to the list too. Now, arguably so, everybody can be considered hedonists. Who doesn't want to be happy? But its deeper than that. Hedonism is a way of life. A philosophy if you will. A simple idea that determines the way a person thinks, acts, reacts, and defines themselves.

Is this bad? Is it terrible for someone to live their life for the sole pursuit of personal pleasure? Arguments can be made for either side, but I, for one, believe nothing can be wrong with a little happiness. :)