Word of the Day: Hedonist

he⋅don⋅ist [heed-n-ist]

–noun

1.	a person whose life is devoted to the pursuit of pleasure and self-gratification.

–adjective

2.	Also, he⋅don⋅is⋅tic. of, pertaining to, or characteristic of a hedonist or hedonism.

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Origin:
1855–60; see hedonism, -ist

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.

he·don·ism (hēd’n-ĭz’əm)

n.

1. Pursuit of or devotion to pleasure, especially to the pleasures of the senses.
2. Philosophy The ethical doctrine holding that only what is pleasant or has pleasant consequences is intrinsically good.
3. Psychology The doctrine holding that behavior is motivated by the desire for pleasure and the avoidance of pain.

[Greek hēdonē, pleasure; see swād- in Indo-European roots + -ism.]

he’don·ist n., he’don·is’tic adj., he’don·is’ti·cal·ly adv.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source

hedonist

noun

someone motivated by desires for sensual pleasures

WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.

Hedonism is such an ugly word in our anhedonic, pleasure-denying society. The word conjures images of gluttons and stories of Nero and Messalina. Excess isn’t pleasurable or enjoyable because the nuances and uniqueness of the indulgence are missed and taken for granted. Hedonism and pleasure are about savoring the moment every sound, smell, taste, touch, sight…it’s the epitome of sensuality. I am a hedonist because seeking out, enjoying pleasure, especially sexual pleasure, are divine motivations as far as I am concerned. So long as none are nonconsensually harmed, then do what you will! Dr. Susan Block has an excellent article on ethical hedonism, a philosophy by which I live and work.

Here’s a little history to finish:

hedonist

1822, in reference to the Cyrenaic school of philosophy that deals with the ethics of pleasure, from Gk. hedonikos “pleasurable,” from hedone “pleasure,” related to hedys “sweet” (see sweet). Hedonistic is from 1866; earlier adj. form was hedonic (1656). A hedonist is properly the follower of any ethical system in which the highest good is some sort of pleasure. The Epicurian identifies this with the practice of virtue.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper

And how sweet it is!

The Necessary Frivolity of Pleasure

"Pleasure is the object, the duty and the goal of all rational creatures." -Voltaire

The pursuit of pleasure is often seen as frivolous at best or immoral at worst. On the more socially acceptable end is pursuing non-sexual pleasure: going to an amusement park, vacation, taking a "sick" day. All of these pursuits are approved of because talking about your activities there and how they made you feel, hopefully better, doesn't make anyone uncomfortable. Unfortunately, even these pleasures can be suspect to those with a strong Puritan work ethic. Taking a vacation when they think the office needs them more fills them with a heavy guilt, as does taking a sick day when no illness is present. With the advent of pocket-sized technology that keeps people connected all the time, you never really have to leave the office behind. How miserable is that? But, luckily for me, I really love my office space!

Needless to say the pursuit of pleasure on the so-called "immoral" end are those of sex and eroticism. We all know why this is but, personally, this is my favorite way to pursue pleasure. After all, that's why I do what I do. It is the sorrow of our culture that we view sex and eroticism as some sort of curse or necessary evil. I refuse to approach sex and the erotic in shame and sorrow; this helps no one. Of course, this is the pursuit of pleasure between two consenting adults.

I am what is called an ethical hedonist. I enthusiastically and unabashedly pursue pleasure, especially the erotic. With gusto, one might say. However, I do not pervert this pursuit by manipulating others into situations they wouldn't have consented to otherwise. That I don't understand either. Where is the fun in sex and the sensual if you had to force someone to do it with you? I pursue pleasure for the sake of pleasure, a noble end in and of itself in my opinion. This pursuit, however, never interferes to the detriment of other parts of my life; to the contrary it enhances them greatly.

Having pleasure in ones life, be it sexual or not, makes life worth living. It relieves the stress of daily routine, the stress that builds up and, if not relieved, makes people snap. Restricting or denying yourself an outlet for stress is a recipe for disaster. So why continue to fret about this? Do something that makes you happy because most likely it will make others happy too. I truly believe our world would be so much better and with so much less strife and conflict if pleasure was respected.

The pursuit of pleasure is always more fun with a Companion.

Ninon Baccara, The Voluptuous Libertine