Cheap Pleasures versus the Greater and Surer Pleasures
Cheap Pleasures versus the Greater and Surer Pleasures
Three Point Essay #37 | Stoicism, The Beauty of Struggle, Neuroscience
Here’s a three-pointer to open your mind.
Story of a Stoic
Seneca was one of the wisest men to ever live. An ancient Roman statesman, he is best remembered for his writing as a Stoic.
Years ago he said that “pleasures, when they go beyond a certain point, are but punishments.”
You know, that final round of shots that makes you puke. That last hit of weed that makes you green out. That just real quick check of social media that turns into a 45 minute doom scroll.
Everyone knows that a lack of moderation usually = pain.
But the main problem with these 'pleasures' (of which I’m guilty!) is that you don’t need to put in any effort to experience the 'reward'. Just roll over in bed, spark the joint, and start scrolling. Easy.
But brain science data reveals that experiencing pleasure, without putting in any kind of effort before, has terrible consequences. American Neuroscientist Andrew Huberman explains:
Pleasure is not a problem. Too much pleasure experienced too often without a prior requirement for effort in order to achieve that pleasure/dopamine is terrible for us however. It lowers our baseline level of dopamine & the potency of all experiences.
Seneca also wrote of the greater and surer pleasures—the pleasures of mind and spirit.
What are these? If one night stands, processed foods, and other short-lived highs are the cheap pleasures, what are the fulfilling ones?
The Greater and Surer Pleasures
Cheap pleasures are short-lived, lead to more craving, and create weakness. Fulfilling pleasures are lasting, lead to satisfaction, and promote strength.
The pleasures of mind and spirit come from activities that involve effort.
Too much cheap pleasure creates heightened stress and anxiety. Because you trade short term bliss for long-term suffering. Fulfilling pleasures are the opposite: you trade short term pain for long-term bliss:
Lifting weights hurts, but you become healthier and more confident. Reading a difficult book strains your mind, but you learn and become smarter. Doing activities that make you uncomfortable is hard, but leads to personal growth.
The 3 Pillars of Fulfillment
You can break down the pleasures of mind and spirit into 3 categories:
Mastering a Skill
Exploration
Comprehending & Expressing
These all involve effort and short term pain or discomfort. But the long-term payoff is a deep feeling of real pleasure.
Some examples from my life of fulfilling pursuits:
Mastering Skills: basketball, languages, writing, sales
Exploration: travel—seeing new places, experiencing different cultures, getting other people's perspectives
Comprehending & Expressing: topics I’m curious about—history, evolutionary psychology, neuroscience, fitness, sports, investing, entrepreneurship, philosophy
Surely you can think of your own pursuits that lead to the greater and surer pleasures in this life.
Cheap pleasures, although fun, can’t compare to the pleasures of mind and spirit that come through working hard on something you enjoy for a long time.
(I came across this 3 pillars idea in a book called Wanting by Luke Burgis).