Hedonism comes from the Greek word ‘hedone’ which means ‘for pleasure’. It is also a way of life that is characterized by openness to a pleasurable experience for satisfaction, contentment, and happiness. There are also cases in which hedonism can be rejected on moral grounds and is said to be detrimental to long-term happiness. There are various opinions about the premise if hedonistic behavior is said to be morally good or bad. To what extent can a person seek pleasure without being immoral? How much pleasure is too much?
Hedonism is a part of human growth and development. It is everyone's dream to seek pleasure in many things and the environment had naturally taught them how to acquire it at all costs. Sigmund Freud's pleasure principle described pleasure as the driving force to gratification, wants, and urges and the pleasure-pain-pain principle serves as the motivating factor that needs to be satisfied (Cherry, 2018). Some have found their ways but others did not. There are also people with levels and pleasure standards that could never be attained which leads to the question: is it morally good to show such hedonistic behavior?
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There are two types of hedonism: psychological and ethical. Psychological hedonism suggests that humans are born to seek pleasure, while ethical hedonism is characterized as a human's obligation to experience pleasure (Goldhill, 2018) Some hedonism concept was based on Epicurus’ idea about life which is to minimize pain and maximize pleasure. Hedonists usually define pleasure broadly, such that physical and mental phenomena are included. However, modern hedonists drink life in, feel it and understand it through their bodies, such as excessive drinking, heavy partying, use of drugs, or promiscuous behavior, which is ethically debatable. Such a premise was condemned by Christian philosophers throughout history because it goes against the Christian teaching which is to avoid sin, do God's will, and encourage virtues of faith. Pleasure is what makes people happy. In addition, God naturally designed humans to be happy, and the desire for happiness will lead them to behave morally, thus hedonistic behavior can be justified. Whilst there are also instances where hedonism is the reason why people commit a crime against themselves and others, now, how can you say that hedonism is morally good?
Hedonism, in general, is defined as the pursuit of pleasure, enjoyment, and fun, which is associated with self-obsession and doing one's ‘own thing’ without thinking of the consequences (Bennett & McAndrew, 2017). On the one hand, according to the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, psychological hedonism is the premise that only pleasure or pain motivates people.
Hedonistic behavior can be considered immoral or unethical if people have gone farther from the norms of hedonism. There are various effects of immoral hedonistic behavior on individuals, such as anti-social behavior, neglect of family, health-related problems, and deaths. Hedonism can sometimes cause individuals to harm themselves and unpredictable changes in behavior that has extreme effects on the people surrounding them. In reality, hedonism could go sour after a while, which is also tantamount to suffering from own hedonistic act.
An example of unethical hedonistic behavior is heavy drug use, which postulates health problems, overdose, and death. The effects of drugs are undeniably stimulating, and those who abuse them suffer from mental and physical problems, while their families may fall victim to the user`s unpredictable behavior. In the context of popular culture, there are instances of unethical hedonistic behavior that resorted to sad consequences, such as the death of ‘Indiana Jones’ actor, River Phoenix. Phoenix was known as one of the best Hollywood actors of all time, and sadly, his great potential was destroyed due to one hedonistic night out during which a poor ethical decision led him to overdose, die, and break the hearts of his friends and family. He dropped dead at the age of 23 from a heroin overdose. It is clearly seen that unethical hedonism along with poor decision making can lead to unfortunate circumstances and an unexpected turn of events which can be considered immoral or unethical. In addition, we can distinguish from this occurrence that too much pleasure could pivot to catastrophic events such as death. How can you say it is moral if it is directed toward destroying a person?
Drinking alcohol is a known form of hedonism, and drinking to excess is a debatable subject, whether it is morally good or completely immoral. In most of the world, drinking is perfectly acceptable and, if used in moderation, is relatively harmless. People drink for pleasure. Evidence suggests that drinking wine, especially red wine, in moderation may lead people to live longer, protect them from certain cancers, and improve mental health (Weatherspoon, 2017). As explained in Psychology, there are many factors why people drink in general, such as personality, past experiences, stress, social norm, and environment. With all of these factors held in place for a specific time, there is a big possibility that psychological hedonism could become a problem. As with many pleasurable things in life, it can lead to abuse in a physical, mental, and emotional state. Some people are prone to alcoholism, which is very hard to confront due to environmental factors such as alcohol availability, which is always reachable to dedicated hedonists. It can lead to serious addiction which can lead to various health problems such as liver cirrhosis, certain types of cancers, and even death with catastrophic effects on families and loved ones. It is important to note that although alcohol helps people relax and relieve stress, its abuse will clearly lead to immorality in most people.
Men, in particular, seem proud of ‘notches in the bed’, which lead to interrelated sad circumstances such as acquiring venereal diseases, unplanned pregnancy, and abortion. Multiple relations are a sign of virility, and unplanned pregnancies may force women to make a critical decision that involves abortion. The spread of venereal diseases and HIV are effects of promiscuous behavior, while the increasing number of abortions and women suffering from such behavior is also relatively high not only in the US but in other countries as well. A famous example of promiscuous behavior that led to health problems is the case of the popular basketball star, Magic Johnson. Johnson has admitted having multiple sexual partners at a time, peaking at approximately 300 women in his most successful year, and he may have regretted that when he was diagnosed with HIV in 1991. Multiple sex partners could lead to clouding people`s morality and also presents questions about ethics. Yet, those who are involved in such activities may seem to think that they engaged in it for fun and pleasure, which is perfectly reasonable. The question would be, would you still want to experience pleasure even if it leads to questioning your morals?
Gluttony is a concrete example of hedonism which can resort to health problems such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, cancer, and other potentially life-threatening diseases. An American study states that each year obesity-related conditions cost over 150 billion dollars with estimated deaths of 300,000 in the US. Binge eating disorder (BED) or overeating was first explained by Albert Stunkard, a psychiatrist and researcher of night eating syndrome (NES) in 1959. The term binge eating has a similar aspect as NES, except for the nocturnal aspects. People may think that they have control over their bodies, which is a misconception because the negative effects of gluttony or binge eating could go unnoticeable for a while with health changes that are drastic and unexpected. The question of morality arises when issues in health arise with families and friends suffering from the effects of such a circumstance. Families, in particular, are the prime sufferers in this case, as they will help the member to recover and build a new life. Sadly, there are also cases where death has occurred due to this hedonistic behavior, which leaves families suffering emotionally and mentally. Technically, gluttons are killing themselves with excessive eating, and it could be a challenge to recuperate from such hedonistic behavior, but with proper diet and moderate eating, overeating can be avoided. In this case, the question would be how much is too much hedonism. Would let yourself and your environment suffer from your own poor unethical decisions, even if there is a way of avoiding it?
Smoking is also another form of hedonistic behavior that gives pleasure and pain to people engaged in such activity. There are various health warnings about the risks of smoking and how damaging it is to people's health, yet there are still individuals who are attracted to the idea. It may seem like a glamorous and fun activity, but the reality is it brings catastrophic effects to your health, which can include addiction, cancer, and poor blood circulation. According to National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), the statistics of Americans who are smoking cigarettes has gone down, but 38 million American adults are still smoking. The brain gets more and more addicted to nicotine and other chemicals that are present in cigars, which also lead to serious health complications. People smoke for relaxation and others due to being addicted, but if it goes beyond moderation, it is now considered irresponsible and immoral. What individuals should know is that, if engaged in a hedonistic act such as smoking, there will always be a negative outcome and higher chances of developing serious health disorders. Therefore, there is no need to engage in hedonistic behavior if the person is aware of the potential problem that may arise during and after the act.
Gambling is by far one of the most extreme forms of psychological hedonism, which is associated with various negative results that are bound to destroy the personal life of the individual. Gambling is legal in most parts of the US, which makes people vulnerable to addiction, and other gambling problems. It is also a recognized addiction similar to alcohol addiction, and there are groups such as Gamblers Anonymous that show the depth of the problem. It is considered an extreme hedonistic act because it leads people to forget about their responsibilities to their families and community. All too often divorce happens, and children get affected due to the hedonistic selfishness of one of the parents. Gambling can also result in huge debts and loss of property and assets, which can lead to homelessness. Besides, it is proven by studies that when people gamble, money is always lost in the long term, and the casino system is not set up to lose. The gambler will end up losing and trying to win back their money, which can lead to extreme addiction. The immoral characteristics of gambling add up more when people commit crimes to satiate their gambling urges. Families having huge debts, divorced couples rising in number, and jeopardizing the children`s future are among the few reasons why gambling is immoral. It is clearly seen in this context that extreme hedonistic behavior such as gambling will lead to long-term bad effects on someone`s environment and they will face various complications.
People have different levels of hedonistic behavior, there are some who seek pleasure for enjoyment to a certain level without jeopardizing their morals, while there are also instances where people engage themselves in hedonistic acts that could cost them. As for the argument, is hedonism morally good? This is such a debatable topic, but for this paper, it is argued that hedonism could be considered an immoral act due to outcomes that could harm the person and his/her surroundings. There are various instances and reasons in which hedonistic behavior was an acceptable notion, such as eating and drinking in moderation for the purpose of enjoyment. There are also events of hedonistic acts that are considered extreme, such as heavy use of drugs, promiscuous behavior, and gluttony, which can cause various health problems including death. The argument is that too much in the context of hedonism is always a problem which leads to the question of how much is too much? Is there a parameter of standards someone should be watching out for them not to fall into an immoral hedonistic act?
Hedonism is a fascinating subject with areas that are unexplored and worth researching further. In psychological hedonism, pleasure is viewed as important in life, and it is reasonable to be hedonistic to a certain degree. In reality, some people are always prone to going over the moderate level of the acceptable hedonistic rate of behavior, which makes hedonism an immoral act.
Hedonism can be a part of personal growth, and you might think it is fine to be over-hedonistic in the name of fun and enjoyment. The truth is that this is not an acceptable form of behavior because you are aware that it could be immoral and will result in various complications. People have different levels of satisfying their urges and wants, and hedonism could turn into an immoral act if its bad effects are present in the context.
As mentioned in this paper, hedonism comes in many forms – from classic to modern hedonism. All of us are hedonists with one goal, which is to satisfy our personal wants and urges, but only differ on what we do to make it happen. Some engage in activities that will enable them to gain fun and enjoyment, while others turn to extreme hedonistic acts that can result in immorality and other dilemmas. There is no question that psychological hedonism is a part of personality and growth and extreme cases of psychological hedonism could be immoral because it is selfish, and irresponsible, and could lead anyone to a catastrophic condition.
Hedonism turns immoral due to poor unethical decisions and low emotional quotient. In real life, extreme hedonistic acts are a dilemma, as the person in that situation finds it hard to switch back to normal life, and their lives will never be the same as the old one. On the one hand, some individuals do what they like to do in the name of fun and enjoyment. Yet, extreme hedonistic acts such as drinking, heavy use of drugs, gambling, and overeating are immoral due to the effects that those individuals engage in the act by cultivating in the environment. It leads to suffering – for the individual and the people surrounding you. Families may suffer from trauma and an unexpected turn of events due to such behavior. This paper is not intended to question morals due to seeking pleasure in simple things. All humans are hedonists as nobody wants to suffer pain. Hedonism only goes wrong if it is too much, which can now make us consider: how much is too much? There are two results of hedonism – pain and pleasure – you will receive pain if you are beyond the hedonism norms, while you will gain pleasure if you remain on the surface. This is now a question of morals as nobody has the right to hurt anyone unintentionally or intentionally or experience pain. With that, extreme psychological hedonism is immoral and unacceptable!
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