Sounds more like the musings of a hedonist than a badass. The incoordination and head trauma are not as far off brand as he thinks it is.
this post was submitted on 19 Jul 2025
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What do you have against hedonists? I think it's pretty bad ass to be happy regardless of how others judge you.
That's not what hedonism is. Hedonism is the pursuit of physical pleasure as the primary purpose in life. The problem with that is our brains are very good at moving our emotional goalposts to adapt to our circumstances, so we end up chasing greater and greater pleasures in a process called the "hedonic treadmill."
Billionaires are a good example of this. They get their kicks from watching their bank account go up and acquiring new things. But their brains quickly adapt to the new "normal", and then they need a higher number or newer thing. It's never enough.
That's my definition as well. I've drawn different conclusions, though. Hedonism, nihmism, etc... they've all gotten a bad name because of Edge lords who burn out. You don't have to be over consumeristic or do copious amounts of drugs. That would go AGAINST hedonism because you'll be unable to pursue pleasure in the future. It doesn't have to be an immediate payoff.
You're upset with people who are short-sighted, not hedonists. Those things aren't exclusive, but I think you catch my drift.
Hedonism is the pursuit of physical pleasure as the primary purpose in life
That's a very narrow interpretation of one out of many types of hedonism
That's like saying "religion is when you like Easter" 🙄
Billionaires are a good example of this
No they're not. Billionaires are pathological money hoarders. Hoarding ≠ hedonism.
They get their kicks from watching their bank account go up and acquiring new things. But their brains quickly adapt to the new "normal", and then they need a higher number or newer thing. It's never enough.
That's addiction you're describing. Another thing that doesn't equal hedonism.
It doesn't have to be physical pleasure, one can be hedonistic in their pursuit of love or learning, or anything that brings pleasures.
But the key is to challenge the restraints that a society which walks through life miserable in all regards impose upon us. It is the breaking of those restraints where hedonism is found.
I've known quite a few hedonists and have a great deal of love and respect for them. In part because I never had the bravery required to truly go that path. And the other part where they find themselves broken, hollowed out, unemployed, or addicted. Or even worse deeply cynical. I've lost many friends to the tail end of a life of extremes.
Every hedonists thinks there is some trick to the life that they alone get right, and each of them is wrong and right in their own way.
A lot of what we define as pleasurable in this part of the world is driven by consumerism or other environmentally unsustainably/harmful activity. If your pleasurable activities account for your impact on all living things then by all means knock yourself out. Most hedonists I've known do not demonstrate this degree of introspection and often are looking for fleeting pleasures to mask trauma or other mental health challenges.
often are looking for fleeting pleasures to mask trauma or other mental health challenges.
I thought I told you to stop reading my journal.
It's a fine philosophy but it's hard to make it last. Most hedonists either burn out or become cynics.
There is a balance where you are always at the edge of hedonism, just close but not quite offsides. But almost inevitably there is that fall.
I'm sure the ghost of Jeffery Epstein appreciates your support.
I will generally not fault someone for what they like, but engaging in whatever it is without regard for others is not a recipe for a good society. Sure, don't care what everyone thinks, but there are plenty of reasons to not do something that would bring you pleasure.
Dog, what the fuck?
Hedonism IS pretty badass when done ethically and collectively.
Maximizing pleasure and minimizing pain in the world is a much better thing to live for than accruing capital or assuring that people within a certain geographical area have it better than others if you ask me 🤷
The reason why it isn't badass is it prioritizies self over others. Under a hedonistic worldview, your own pleasure matters more than another living beings pain.
It aligns well with capitalism and its inventivization of personal enrichment even if at an expense to others.
In my view being "badass" is taking care of each other, even the supposed "least" amongst us (if we are to believe in such hierarchies), as our superheros and religious figures are written.
There's a reason we have immortalized such figures and I would describe exactly none of them as hedonistic. Rather they often take on incredible personal pain to bring safety and security to others. That is what I would call badass.
The reason why it isn't badass is it prioritizies self over others
Did you not spot the "ethically and collectively" part? It's very near the start of the comment and invalidates your entire objection.
In my view being "badass" is taking care of each other, even the supposed "least" amongst us
Couldn't agree more if I tried. Except I'd change "even" to "especially". Minimizing of pain, remember?
they often take on incredible personal pain to bring safety and security to others. That is what I would call badass.
Again, ethical and collective hedonism inevitably includes such sacrifice for the common good
Maximizing pleasure and minimizing pain in the world is a much better thing to live for than accruing capital or assuring that people within a certain geographical area have it better than others if you ask me 🤷
Sure but that doesn't make it badass.
It does if you succeed
please define badass
No
That's sort of sidestepping and deliberately misinterpreting the question. Sure, there are the dumbasses who thing "this thing feels good, therefore it must be bad!" But that's not what most people think of when they think of a "guilty pleasure".
A guilty pleasure is like, eg, drinking a beer. Drinking is bad for your health. In moderation, your long term health probably won't be significantly impacted, but presuming you care about your health, you probably also care about other aspects of living a healthy lifestyle. For example, maybe you play pickup soccer in the park, and find you have more fun when you are more in shape, since you can run faster and farther without having to catch your breath. Drinking will lower your aerobic capacity the next day, and will impair your recovery - you know that you are happier in general when you don't drink. But then a friend invites you over, and it's been a stressful day, and they offer you a beer, and you say to yourself "I know that I will be happier in the future if I stay sober. But right now I really want this beer. Fuck it." And then you wake up the next morning with a hangover and say "that was dumb, why did I do that?"
The "guilt" in guilty pleasure doesn't have to be based on arcane moral codes. It can just be guilt about doing something we know is against our own best interests, by the standards we set for ourselves.
Saying you don't feel guilty about your pleasures either means that you never do this (ie, you're a liar), or else it means that you literally put no stock in the future (ie, you're a dumbass), or that you are so insecure that you are trying to sidestep the question because you can't bring yourself to admit you have any flaws.
Feels badass. Works in a room with a whiteboard.
you know what's badass? being stuck in a room full of hungry angry teenagers that smell like ass and balls for eight hours a day five days a week over the span of 20 years for $32k a year and not once succumbing to the dark desires of killing yourself.
That’s oddly specific.
Being a teacher is specific