English Version | The pleasure is all mine

The pleasure of the body. Of the psyche. Of posture. Ours, but also that of others. A healthy mind in a healthy body, the phrase that sums up well-being, is also linked to the pursuit of pleasure? And where pleasure is concerned, to what extent is it the path to (un)happiness?

© Getty Images

Hello, my name is Sara and I suspect I'm a hedonist. We can save the “Hiiiiiii, Sara!” to later on. I know what this might look like: a libertine thirsty for excess, sinfully yielding to the indulgences of the body and debauchery and the delights and vices of life to such an extreme that it leads to ruin, in a portrait of immorality that seems to be the quintessential hedonist. Hedonism got its most common definition as a kind of collection of indecent and shameless practices, ruled by excess and marginality, but to understand it (a Herculean task) is to perceive its balance and its dosed virtue. Apparently, hedonism, that word that puts pleasure at its core, has gained a bad reputation in its most popular sense, but the search for pleasure, as stated by various currents of Philosophy and even Psychology, does not necessarily have to be a selfish mission and can, at various levels and within the right dosage, contribute to the maintenance of physical and mental health. Broadly speaking, hedonism describes the pursuit of pleasure while seeking to alleviate pain. The term derives from the Greek word hēdonē (pleasure or will), referring to various theories about what makes us feel good, how we should behave and what motivates us to behave in a certain way.

Philosophical hedonists tend to focus on hedonistic theories of value and especially well-being, thus claiming that all and only pleasure is intrinsically valuable and all and only pain is intrinsically worthless, within a definition of concepts usually broaden, so that both bodily and mental phenomena are considered here. Hedonistic theories identify pleasure and pain as the only important elements in the phenomena they describe, presenting some nuances depending on the thinker of or with whom one speaks. And it is in this very minimal point, centered on the two opposing concepts, that both its controversy and its praise and philosophical interest reside. “Hedonism is generally spoken of in two different but related senses”, contextualizes João, a contact with such a framework in Philosophy (by the way, he teaches in the area) who was willing to shed some light on a topic too vast to summarize. Though he tried, per our request: “On the one hand, hedonism is the doctrine that all human action is motivated by a pursuit of pleasure and an avoidance of pain (and this is often called 'psychological hedonism'); on the other hand, it is the doctrine according to which it is necessary, or else according to which it is advantageous, to always seek pleasure and avoid pain (and this is 'ethical hedonism'). It is possible to advocate for the second doctrine (in either of its versions, morality or prudence) without advocating the first, but it is common for the defense of the second to be based on the first. Furthermore, the second is not necessarily the doctrine that every individual should seek his pleasure; it can be, for example, the doctrine according to which each individual has a duty to seek to generate the maximum amount of pleasure for the maximum number of individuals (which is 'classical utilitarianism')”, an aspect that places pleasure not at the core of the ego, but as an altruistic concept. So hedonism is not debauchery? “Hedonism may well be the defense of the debauchery with which it is generally connoted — either negatively or positively. On the other hand, some versions of hedonism make use of a broader concept of pleasure, that is, they identify it with 'happiness' in a sense that does not necessarily imply a positive state of pleasure of the body, but implies, for example, the lead a life, as much as possible, free from evils and filled with the achievement of ends considered good”, he explains. 

One of the unavoidable names of this branch of hedonism that is more balanced pleasure and pain-wise, that is, that pleasure can arise from something as simple as the absence of pain (physical and moral) is that of Epicurus (341 BC - 271 or 270 BC), a philosopher who founded a school on the importance of pleasure as a key element of happiness. He was not the first or the only one to focus on pleasure, but he was one of those who introduced something more than bodily and egoistic pleasure into the concept - although the following centuries have connoted him with the more immoral idea of ​​hedonism. “Pleasure is the beginning and end of a happy life,” said the Greek thinker. Popular opinion, of course, imagined money, sex, drink and debauchery (those associations that survive to this day and which João believes is a reputation that “is due to the fact that, for many centuries — and until today — Christianity needed to be distinguished from Epicureanism”). But true Epicureanism was more subtle. Epicurus led a simple life, because, after a thorough analysis, he realized that what really made life enjoyable was not excess. On the balance of pleasures, he placed a triad of weights, such as friendship: “Of all the things that wisdom furnishes to help one live a lifetime happily, the greatest by far is the possession of friendship,” he wrote, emphasizing that a handful of true friends have the power to provide the love and respect that even a fortune cannot. The second secret of happiness would be freedom: “We must free ourselves from the prison of everyday life and politics”, accepting a simpler way of life in exchange for independence. And, finally, in this triad, we should lead a scrutinized life, as he was concerned that he and his friends would learn to analyze anxieties about money, illness, death, and the supernatural. The heart of Epicurus' argument is: “If we have money without friends, freedom, and an analyzed life, we will never be truly happy. And if we have them, but we are losing our fortunes, we will never be unhappy,” adding that “contented poverty is an honorable state.” João warns that “one should not try to summarize Epicurus' thought in a few lines, but here it goes…”, he surrenders. “For Epicurus there are positive pleasures, which are not mere deprivation, or absence, of pain (for example, a pleasant odor, but also intellectual pleasures, such as the acquisition of knowledge). But the main pleasure — the one that generates happiness, or makes being alive a pleasure — is, in fact, he argues, a health of the body accompanied not only by the absence of sensory pain, but also by what he calls ataraxia, a  not being troubled by pain in the soul (such as fearing death). This pleasure is 'static', not 'kinetic' (that is, it is a state, not a process), and it is part of Epicurus' doctrine that there are many kinetic pleasures that must be avoided, either because they satisfy in the now but generate pain in the future, either by replacing pains that, in the future, will give rise to greater pleasures, or by being inseparable from the restlessness of desire, therefore from pain (that is, from a painful 'lack' that would be intrinsic to the desire). Epicurus' thought is a case for moderation, not unbridled pleasure. And this case has to do with a certain pessimism, which is very different from what is usually associated with this cliché of a healthy mind in a healthy body”. 

“PLEASURE IS THE BEGINNING AND END OF A HAPPY LIFE.” - Epicuro

Speaking of a healthy mind: putting the discussion in the realm of psychology brings to the table the correlation between the pleasure of the mind and the body as mutually complementary to mental health, on the one hand, but on the other, it also shares this pessimism derived from the Epicurean theory. As in philosophy, the consensus is neither transversal nor magnanimous: pleasure, yes, but there are lines that separate benefit from harm. As in current semantics, “hedonism can come loaded with negative moral weight, when associated with a religious context that proclaims the renunciation of individual pleasures in favor of love for one another and for God”, states Joana Janeiro, clinical psychologist. “Currently, hedonism is also associated with the culture of narcissism, due to the imperative of enjoyment and pleasure, seeking to avoid and deny pain or suffering, regardless of individual or collective consequences. In psychology, the vision of hedonism is vast and can have several readings. There are currents that consider pain and make themselves available to listen to it, and then reach pleasure. There are other currents that focus on pleasure. The pursuit of pleasure seems to me to be a common denominator for psychology, as a benefit and goal of mental health. The refusal of pain is not transversal”. But does psychology, then, also have currents that reflect Epicurus' view, for example, putting pleasure on the path to well-being and, consequently, the road to happiness? “Positive psychology is one of the currents that can be correlated, as it promotes the construction of optimism and well-being, with a focus on strengths to the detriment of weaknesses. It actively seeks to work towards making people happier and more satisfied. Practices such as mindfulness are widespread today, with a tendency to overvalue positive affects and states of tranquility, as a promotion of mental health. However, the literature and research demonstrate inconsistent data on the relationship between positive affects, which negate suffering, and mental health. These therapeutic practices and strategies may be unproductive in some pathologies, due to their potential to increase the feeling of physical and/or emotional discomfort, as well as the triggering of symptoms, such as anxiety or stress.”

This doesn't devalue the existence, in some cases, of potential benefits, says Janeiro, who also considers that, in her area, there may be a correlation between pleasure and well-being: “The pursuit of pleasure brings benefits. In clinical practice, we see that relief and progress in states of a more depressive nature, come with greater availability and possibility of living more pleasurably, and a more active search for different forms of pleasure. Depression calls for a return to oneself and the body, with a focus on physical and emotional discomfort. Therapeutic progress will bring benefits even through the simple regulation of physiological needs, such as the regulation of sleep and appetite, eliminating physical and psychological discomfort and, consequently, greater availability to the outside and to relationships. This evolution makes a person more available to feel pleasure and actively seek out activities that give them pleasure. However, this search and discovery is intimate, and should not be forced or disconnected from the person's individual history, their profile, the stage of life they're in, their relational network, and the uniqueness of the nature of their suffering. A person can find pleasure and tranquility practicing yoga, dating, eating, learning to play an instrument, painting, skating, reading, etc. And all these activities – from individual to shared, from the most abstract and intellectual, to the most concrete and physical – integrate physical and psychological pleasure. Mind and body are linked. And pleasures have a physical expression as well as a mental and affective representation.” A healthy mind in a healthy body can, therefore, pass on as pleasure, which does not mean that it is solely responsible for health, nor that its unbridled pursuit will necessarily result in happiness: “They are always connected”, says Joana. “Pleasure always puts body and mind in communication, regardless of the origin of the source. Gastrosophy, for example, is the philosophy that seeks the pleasure that the art of cooking offers, going beyond the function of sustenance for the body. A pleasure that is reflected in the palate and in the mind, creating memories and sensorial and affective representations. It also leads to shared, relational, social and cultural pleasure. This pleasure, rich and comprehensive, is comparable to the expression of eroticism and music, universal and deeply intimate and differentiated in the way each of us enjoys them. Pleasures positively influence our physiology, help to increase serotonin levels, stimulate neuronal connections. These effects are key contributions to the feeling of emotional and psychological well-being”, states the psychologist, leaving room for the moderation, and even pessimism, of the Epicurean current: “His philosophy carries a record of greater rationalization and calm. Pleasure would not be associated with excitement, or an active movement in its pursuit, but rather with a feeling of pleasant tranquility, through the renunciation and reduction of sources of suffering, which make it possible to enjoy small moments of everyday life with pleasure. I don't know if happiness goes through peace of mind. Peace is punctual and ephemeral and, at times, pleasure, enjoyment and excitement can, according to a psychoanalytic approach, disconcert and remove peace. At the same time, the pain excluded, denied, is not diminished. It is, in itself, a source of suffering. The total absence of suffering and pain seems to have only expression through death, as is recognized in the expressions: 'peace to their soul', 'rest in peace'. Freud spoke of the death drive — pain and suffering — as a fundamental element of human experience, and of life drives, which are a set of functions that resist displeasure and anguish. He argues that for the understanding of happiness, one cannot separate pleasure from pain or the self from the other, from otherness. Happiness is contingent and always appears associated with a work of regulating the flow of psychic intensities produced by the encounter with the other. Freud stated that the analyst's ambition is to constitute himself as an ally of life drives, against the psychological side of suffering. A contemporary perspective of psychoanalysis, aims at the knowledge and elaboration of parts of emotional suffering that may be disintegrated, and therefore inaccessible to the person's conscience, so that their integration allows the search for pleasure in a sustained way. This approach could increase mental health, a more harmonious, emotional and relational functioning and, consequently, promote a sense of well-being and happiness”.

"PHILOSOPHICAL CURRENTS SUCH AS HEDONISM OR EPICURISM, AND CURRENT TRENDS IN WELLFARISM, CAN BE USEFUL TOOLS TO APPROACH TIMELY AND/OR PARTIALLY, OF ONE OR OTHER ADVICE, STRATEGY, IDEAL OR VALUE, THAT HELP US TO SEEK PLEASURE AND WELL-BEING, WITHOUT DISREGARDING OR DENYING THE NECESSARY BALANCE TO INTEGRATE PAIN, SADNESS OR ANY EXPRESSION OF PSYCHOLOGICAL SUFFERING." - Joana Janeiro

The different approaches exist because the central concepts also divide opinions, not only on what they are (what is pleasure? Is it manifest in the body, the mind or both?), but in the way they interact (in this case, if the absence of pain is really pleasure or if the coexistence of the two is crucial to maximize pleasure, for instance). “One aspect [that varies the perception of hedonism] is this: the distinction between sensual and intellectual pleasures, as well as the limits — or, alternatively, the absence of limits — between them”, says João. “Another is the fact that pleasure is a very mysterious reality. Just think, for example, about the fact that there can be pleasure in pain to understand this (…)”. Separating pleasure from pain completely can be counterproductive not only in the pursuit of pleasure itself, but also in the pursuit of happiness: “It can become a bad thing for people, denying suffering and the unrestrained pursuit of pleasures”, confirms the clinical psychologist, in an idea supported by the paradox of hedonism, or the paradox of pleasure, according to which pleasure and happiness cannot be obtained directly, only indirectly, and that, some authors argue, we fail to obtain pleasure and happiness when we deliberately seek them. “At times, sadness was considered, it could even have a certain charm and a fundamental and inevitable participation in the creative processes. In poetry and music, as Jobim sings, ‘sadness has no end, happiness does’. With contemporary culture, with an emphasis on the search for a better quality of life, trends, practices and activities emerge that impose a notion of well-being and happiness, reducing the space conceived for emotional suffering. This movement becomes an operation of annihilation of the dimension of subjectivity. In pandemic times, it was curious that movements appeared on social media and from the Order of Psychologists to inform and educate people to welcome and integrate sadness and anxieties: 'it's normal to be sad'; ‘how to reassure your children’. Although pleasure is fundamental to mental health, hedonism can exacerbate behaviors that act artificially and distant from our nature and internal world, increasing suffering and frustration. In this sense, it can exacerbate a narcissistic culture, associated with consumerism and individualism, with the weakening of social and solidarity ties, which translates into the current problems of emptiness and helplessness, which appear with greater frequency and expression in our offices”. So, the search for pleasure and the mitigation of pain isn't intrinsic to us (nor expected) as human beings? “Not always”, explains Janeiro. “Clinical practice shows that in depressive states, for example, and it doesn't have to be pathologically expressed, there can be a focus on evil and suffering, and even a feeling of guilt for pleasure. As well as the disintegrated states of pain, anguish and sadness, which lead to the repetition of patterns of suffering, contrary to an intrinsically hedonistic tendency. In this case, it would be almost the opposite. A difficulty in experiencing pleasure and in getting out of the zones of suffering. In health, we tend to look for pleasures, motivations, passions. Internal and external, individual and shared. But there won't be a constant and stable state in this sense. There are always conflicts and tensions, individual, relational and social. In mental health, the person feels predominantly motivated. The term motivation, widely spoken, is driven by pleasure and the ability to dream. It is this background (which is body and mind) that motivates us to action. Pleasure is, in essence, a catalyst for transformations and a powerful ally in the sensation of well-being, growth and evolution. And the demand for pleasure, as a predominant movement, goes beyond the search for more immediate and individualistic satisfaction. Lived in a broad and complex relational web, it will seek individual, collective benefit, and in a more sustained way. Philosophical currents such as hedonism or epicureanism, and current trends in welfarism, can be useful tools for us to punctually and/or partially appropriate one or another piece of advice, strategy, ideal or value, which help us to seek pleasures and well-being, without disregarding or denying the necessary balance to integrate pain, sadness or any expression of psychological suffering”. What does this mean? That hedonism is too vast to be constrained by the physical limit of an article, as it has so many nuances that it is impossible to formulate it in a universal way that fits any and all individuals, any and all lifestyles, any and all recipe for happiness. Hedonism will always have a place in human wellfare, insofar as each individual can give it greater or lesser importance as a tool for well-being – physical and/or mental. It may be a vehicle of mindfulness as well as suffering, depending on the psychological and philosophical role and weight of our experiences. What does this mean, I ask again? That we can know a few more things about hedonism after this text, but we are far from any conclusion about its global definition or even about its beneficial or harmful role in the human and social being. Still, I hope it was a pleasure to read it as much as it was painful to write about something so complex.

Hi, my name is Sara and I'm definitely a hedonist. Cross the "definitely". Also cross the "hedonist" part. Perhaps I'm an Epicureanist, since this quest for pleasure will go for the annihilation of pain. Scratch the "Epicureanist", perhaps one doesn't completely disdain pain as central to personal growth and, ultimately, happiness. Maybe I'm a little bit of all of this. Perhaps the “Hiiiii, Sarah” is not only appropriate, now, but also mutual. Perhaps we are all more or less hedonists, meaning we'll seek our own well-being which, in general, would be linked to a pleasurable purpose. Perhaps hedonism is innate. Probably not. Surely not? “Innatism is, in itself, a difficult philosophical question”, advises the Philosophy professor. “But regardless, if the human being is intrinsically hedonistic, then he does not pursue other ends that may conflict with pleasure (such as, for example, justice), or that are not reducible to forms of pleasure (e.g., knowledge would only have to be 'a pleasure', and the same would have to be true of justice, freedom, etc.)”. Perhaps the secret is to simplify and not assign labels. Hello, my name is Sarah. Pleasure to meet you. 

Translated from the original on The Body Issue, of Vogue Portugal, published March 2022.Full story and credits on the print issue.