What is Hedonism?
Our Definition:
Devotion to Pleasure
Google’s Definition:
he·don·ism
noun
the pursuit of pleasure; sensual self-indulgence.
the ethical theory that pleasure (in the sense of the satisfaction of desires) is the highest good and proper aim of human life.
If there is such a thing as a self-evident truth, it is this:
PLEASURE FEELS GOOD
But sometimes pleasure goes wrong... right?
For many people, the word Hedonism conjures up images of addiction, exploitation and violence.
They worry that the blind chase for pleasure will lead to people harming themselves and others.
They are right.
Some people get small and fleeting amounts of pleasure from actions that harm themselves and others, but they are not Hedonists.
They are addicts and capitalists and abusers.
The mark of Real Hedonism is not pleasure itself, so much as devotion to it.
Every individual finds pleasure in different experiences, so devotion to pleasure is bound to look different for everyone.
That said, there are three principles that we believe are indispensable to Real Hedonism:
Self-Awareness
(relationship with self)
The first step of devotion to pleasure is practicing self-awareness by recognizing and challenging our preconceived notions about ourselves.
Through meditation, philosophical inquiry, and mindfulness we get to know how we think and why we think that way. This knowledge allows us to make conscious choices and to feel comfortable in our own skin.
Consent
(relationship with others)
‘Devotion to pleasure’ is not the same thing as ‘devotion to my pleasure’.
Establishing healthy relationships and seeking to increase the pleasure of others, which can only be done with consent, is imperative for maximizing individual pleasure.
Building a consensual society allows us to create a better world.
Curiosity
(relationship with the world)
For many of us, it is easy to fall into stagnant lifestyles.
Curiosity is the key to expanding our sense of self via our relationships with the rest of the world. Devotion to pleasure is much easier when practicing curiosity because it enables us to go beyond our comfort zone and seek new ways of living that deepen and expand our experiences of pleasure.
JOIN US
We have found that there are a whole lot of Hedonists out there, but they aren’t always familiar or comfortable with that title. Our hope is that by developing a shared vision, more people will feel proud to define themselves as Hedonists.
We put these ideas online because we need your help developing this belief system so that it can truly deal with the problems of the 21st century and create paradise on Earth. Please read our blog and let us know what you are jazzed about and what you think still needs work!
Love, Cameron and Rayla
