I was perplexed. On leaving California, I was sorely disappointed because my beloved motorcycle would not fit on the truck, and had to remain behind. Soon after arriving in Oaxaca, I found a good used bike, yet I observed myself delaying the purchase. I did not understand myself. I loved riding; then why the hesitation? The surprising answer came in chapter two of "The consolations of philosophy", a book I was reading at the time.
Epicurus, the Greek philosopher, is famous for his devotion to pleasure. Almost nothing remains of his vast writings, and our knowledge of his philosophy is based on second, or third, hand testimony. Therefore, I feel free to offer my own interpretation, even if I make a mistake, or two.
Epicurus believed that our goal is to be happy, and that happiness comes largely through sensual pleasure. (So far so good.) Pleasure is the result of eliminating pain. Since unfulfilled needs are the cause of pain, he placed all needs in one of three categories.
1. Natural and necessary
2. Natural but not necessary
3. Neither natural nor necessary.
Natural and necessary needs which are not met, cause pain. After eliminating the pain by fulfilling these needs we experience pleasure. Among those needs are the following
1.1 Food
1.2 Shelter
1.3 Sex (He was ambivalent about this one. I am not)
Yet these needs can be met with minimal and simple resources. After the pain is gone (stomach full) increasing the quantity of these items does very little to increase pleasure. He added three more needs that he felt were necessary, and here came my first surprise.
1.4 Friends (He was vague about family)
1.5 Freedom (Even a "boss" represents repression.)
1.6 Thought (to relieve us of the main sources of anxiety such as death, illness, and poverty.)
The list of natural but unnecessary needs can be long and personal. Among them you could list such needs as
2.1 Gourmet meals and fine wine (at fancy restaurants)
2.2 A grand house
2.3 Wild orgies
2.4 Korean Sauna
The fulfillment of these needs results in variations of pleasure, but since they do not relieve pain, they are not essential to happiness. (That was my second surprise, given Epicurus bad reputation through the ages)
Among the neither natural nor necessary needs he listed such items as
3.1 Power
3.2 Fame
3.3 Money
He asserted that we mistakenly seek such items in order to fulfill a lack for an essential need such as friends, freedom, or peace of mind. (Isn't that what advertising is all about?) Reading this section I reached enlightenment, and added my own item to the third category.
3.4 Motorcycle
Now it all made sense. Riding a motorcycle may once have substituted for my unfulfilled need of freedom. However, now I feel free enough, and riding is no longer important. In fact, I realized that all my first-category needs are fulfilled, and I have enough time and money to satisfy some in the second category. Both in Epicurus' definition, as well as my own, I am happy.
Post Script
I may still buy that bike. I moved it to the second category. Why not enjoy the sensual pleasure of fast motion in the company of a good friend?
To my friends: It would be interesting to read your additions or deletions to Epicurus lists.
I'm very glad that you have found Epicurus' thoughts relevant to your life. I don't know how much you'll agree with the anthithesis theory propounded by Nietzche - which is that true happiness is only achieved through hard work - but that's for the last chapter of the consolations
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletePleasure is the result of eliminating pain.
ReplyDeleteThe equation to consider:
Is the added pleasure greater than the risk of pain (from a crash) times the amount and duration of the pain?
You better than anyone knows how long it takes you to heal from tough crashes.
This assumes your funds are large enough that the incremental cost of the motorcycle doesn't increase your risk of outliving your money. (I.E. you spend all your money while still alive so you then have no $ to buy food, etc. ) With a proper asset allocation and some tables, you should be able to tell how much you can afford to spend each year with a 98% chance of not outliving your money. If the cost of the bike fits in that spending plan, then you have to look at the risks... also, if you have someone you care about on the bike with you, then you have to add the pain her loss would mean to you should you survive and she not.
1.1 Food
ReplyDelete1.2 Shelter
1.3 Sex
I am not ambivalent about the last one either... but then you know that. :-)
I'm very glad that you are happy. I am currently caught in the struggle between obligations and desires.
XXOO
-Twinks
The three elements of relieving pain were revised later my Abraham Maslow that added at the highest category of self fulfillment. Apparently in the Greek time, avoiding pain was enough. At later times the expectations were raised. This leads me to state the life objective as "Live above the threshold of pain". Not having pain is not enough. Maximize the pleasures, even if it is unnecessary. The only thing that matters is if it is good!
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to describing the place of the bike in our lives, I agree that freedom is the primary function. However, there are other categories that fit as well , depending on the time, the place and your mood. Often the bike is my dance partner when I waltz on a winding road. Sometime, it is my beloved horse that take me places with great care and reliability, just to name a few.
Conclusions- you set your desired level of pleasure in life.
Kobi
ReplyDeleteI agree with your comments. The point of that chapter was that to be happy does not take much money. However, I and maybe Epicurus would agree that maximizing pleasure is a good goal.
I just reached the last chapter. You will find Nietzche's ideas familiar. He said that pain can be reduced only at the cost of reducing happiness. The level of the two go together. However, the source of happiness is not pleasure, but greatness (Self fulfillment?) Greatness cannot be achieved without learning from difficult emotions (pain), and hard work (pain). He may be as far as possible from Buddhist thought, while still remaining moral.
It maybe my laziness, but I will dismiss his philosophy as more suited to younger men than us. Unfortunately he did not have a chance to refute me. He died sick and crazy at the age of fifty five (The last eleven years spent in an insane asylum.)