Debauchery is defined as an extreme form of immorality and
an unbalanced form of indulgence in things that give person sensual pleasure.
Some examples include: Gluttonous gorging of food, excessive sexual activity
and physical companionship, extreme laziness and over-sleeping, drugs and
alcohol, risky thrills including gambling, and of course, emotion addiction. In essence, debauchery is undoubtedly pleasurable. As stated above,
it’s sensational! But at what cost?
Epicurus (341-270 B.C.) the Greek philosopher writes: "No pleasure is a bad thing in itself, but the things which
produce certain pleasures entail disturbances many times greater than the
pleasures themselves."
Too much food can make one lazy and lethargic. Certain
substances can leave the user slow and foggy.
Gambling can leave you broke (or in debt) or lead to other bad behavior.
Debauchery can leave you lethargic, angry, empty, lonely, hazy, broke,
diseased, incarcerated, or all of the above. Shooting heroin sure looks like it
would feel fantastic! But not without the side affects that would infiltrate
your life, family, future, society, and the world at large. So, in short,
pleasure is not a BAD thing. Pleasure is just that. It’s pleasurable. But it
may not be worth it.
Many forms of debauchery have a common theme – they are all
easy, comfortable, and short lived. But not all lasting pleasure is easy or
comfortable.
Other, more valuable types of pleasure are longer lasting
and worked for. For example, if you give your time and listen to someone who is
emotionally distraught or help the old lady cross the street or provide for the
needy to buy food, you are creating something everlasting. By giving, we not
only feel good once but are creating memories that can be accessed time and
time again and can continuously make us feel good.
Other types of long term pleasure can be an investment. Loving
and building human connections, consumption of knowledge, creativity, personal development…
these are all things that progress and grow with time and effort. Breaking
barriers, trying new things, and stepping out of our comfort zones give our
lives an element of mystery, excitement, and surprise. This sharply contrasts
with the almost mundane and predictable outcomes of debauchery.
Another, more specific type of investment for long term
pleasure is facing our demons and tackling issues that are so much easier to
ignore than take care of. By patching up our past - as daunting of a task as it
may be - we can attain levels of our personality that were previously inaccessible.
In short, make PEACE with your PAST so it doesn’t screw up your PRESENT.
No vice, object, or drug can produce a greater feeling than
that of love and hard work. Ironically, they are one and the same…
Just because it’s easy it doesn’t mean that it’s worthwhile.
Real human growth comes from breaking routine, taking risks, and blasting past
the fear of failure and rejection. Life is change. But there is a big
difference between just being ALIVE and really LIVING. Let’s all make the
investment.
Felt like it spoke right to me...
ReplyDeleteThank you! I'm glad you gained from my writing - feel free to pass it along
ReplyDeleteAlso, from a psychological perspective, the actions we perform both consciously and subconsciously shape ourselves. Therefore performing a long-lasting pleasure (giving food to a homeless person) will mold a person in a different fashion than a person who indulges in a short lived pleasure (sex).
ReplyDeleteWell put, Knightengale! and thanks for sharing :D
ReplyDelete