One of the great questions of life that stretches throughout all of time is “What is happiness?” This question has been evaluated by many philosophers, and most of these philosophers have arrived at different conclusions. In Richard Janero and Thelma Altshuler’s book, we learn that Aristippus, a Greek philosopher around 400 B.C.E., explained that happiness is a collection of physical pleasures throughout a person’s life. Hedonism is the term for the philosophy that happiness is derived directly from physical pleasures or by obtaining things that provide pleasure. (Janero 386) Though many may believe that physical pleasure does provide happiness, I argue that physical pleasures provide a temporary illusion of happiness. Hedonism is not the
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There is a significant difference between selfishness or being self-centered and making time for self-care. Self-care is very important in maintaining mental health. For example, if a mother takes her child to a babysitter or daycare to have a day to herself. She may need the day to go get her hair done, or to read a book alone at home, or to go spend time with friends. This allows her to clear her mind and de-stress for a little while. During this time, she knows that her child is being well cared for. She is not being selfish. She is taking care of her mental health. I strongly believe that this is incredibly important in order to be capable of taking on the trying times of motherhood. If a mother is constantly being tasked with caring for others and never takes any time for herself, she will become overwhelmed and may be easily agitated. Everyone deserves a little time to make sure they are doing alright, and that they are not being neglected by themselves. Self-care allows us to better care for …show more content…
As Janero and Altshuler explain, intellectual pleasure is unconnected to happiness in the eyes of a Hedonist. (Janero 387) I do agree that the instant gratification of physical pleasure sometimes seems more rewarding than intellectual pleasures. However, if we challenge ourselves to develop intellectually we will benefit not only our own life, but also the lives of people around us for far greater than just a few moments. Intellectual pleasure is something we will be able to turn to for the rest of our lives. The same cannot be said for the material objects we use to find fleeting moments of happiness from day to day. For example, if a person buys a luxury vehicle they may feel instantaneously satisfied, but overtime the value of the vehicle will decrease, and sooner or later it will no longer bring the buyer joy. Likewise, I can hold all of my money in my hands and feel instant pleasure due to a physical material object. However, once I finish college I will be able to support my family and myself financially for the rest of my life. This will be possible because the knowledge gained throughout schooling will allow me to take on a more financially rewarding career. Knowing this provides me with a sense of joy and satisfaction every time I return to this
There is a significant difference between selfishness or being self-centered and making time for self-care. Self-care is very important in maintaining mental health. For example, if a mother takes her child to a babysitter or daycare to have a day to herself. She may need the day to go get her hair done, or to read a book alone at home, or to go spend time with friends. This allows her to clear her mind and de-stress for a little while. During this time, she knows that her child is being well cared for. She is not being selfish. She is taking care of her mental health. I strongly believe that this is incredibly important in order to be capable of taking on the trying times of motherhood. If a mother is constantly being tasked with caring for others and never takes any time for herself, she will become overwhelmed and may be easily agitated. Everyone deserves a little time to make sure they are doing alright, and that they are not being neglected by themselves. Self-care allows us to better care for …show more content…
As Janero and Altshuler explain, intellectual pleasure is unconnected to happiness in the eyes of a Hedonist. (Janero 387) I do agree that the instant gratification of physical pleasure sometimes seems more rewarding than intellectual pleasures. However, if we challenge ourselves to develop intellectually we will benefit not only our own life, but also the lives of people around us for far greater than just a few moments. Intellectual pleasure is something we will be able to turn to for the rest of our lives. The same cannot be said for the material objects we use to find fleeting moments of happiness from day to day. For example, if a person buys a luxury vehicle they may feel instantaneously satisfied, but overtime the value of the vehicle will decrease, and sooner or later it will no longer bring the buyer joy. Likewise, I can hold all of my money in my hands and feel instant pleasure due to a physical material object. However, once I finish college I will be able to support my family and myself financially for the rest of my life. This will be possible because the knowledge gained throughout schooling will allow me to take on a more financially rewarding career. Knowing this provides me with a sense of joy and satisfaction every time I return to this