Pleasure just don't make sense no more!

Imi writes... 

While Howard was hard at work setting up the camp (my sole responsibility to pitch my tent!), I decided to go for a swim. After great difficulty, stumbling on the uneven lake bottom, I wedged myself between ragged rocks, with the wavy, water level at my neck. I soon realised I was having the greatest time of my life, but it just didn't make sense. The rocks were sharp, and I could have easily hurt myself, why was my pleasure so delicious? What we think should be fun is often different from what really is fun, and visa versa.

There is fun overcoming obstacles, and doing hard things, while the supposed fun things of life are often not really fun.

You may object that if they are not fun, then why do people go for the 'fun' things in life like fast cars, fancy houses, etc, etc... People assume that just because they have the fun things of life, they really must be having fun? They get confirmation of this from most of society as well.

Here I was with very limited options for entertaining myself, and yet I was having real fun. Logic tells us it's fun to have lots of options, and not be confined to a few, but perhaps too many choices create dissatisfaction? Perhaps we humans are creatures that thrive when our horizons are limited, well defined, and simple?

There is nothing here to bolster my ego, or to massage my vanity. I stumble, fall, and struggle, and am constantly reminded of my vulnerabilities, but I'm enraptured by the sounds of eternity that surround me... Of the wind and waves. This leads us to the greatest paradox of pleasure: Those who seek to bolster their egos, massage their vanities, and to maximize pleasure, lead unfulfilling lives...

Perhaps humans are meant to have transcendent high goals...?

For more about this and 'Happiness', see the "Moosa's Challenge" page.

Early night for a REAL day tomorrow, with at least two big portages!


See Howard's blog post of the same day.  
See Imi's previous blog post.