Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Epicurean or Stoic?
Epicureans look for long term happiness over the course of life, while Stoics try to seek happiness in short durations. I try to look at life through a stoic perspective, simply because its easier to generate happiness over short periods of time as opposed to happiness in the long run. From the point of an Epicurean, me going to school for the last eleven or so years in order to get my diploma next may so that I may further my completion of goals in order to achieve my vision really makes me wonder if it is all really worth it. At what point do I say that it is? From a stoic point of view, I could find pleasure in something as simple as eating a cheeseburger, or even better, a Chipotle burrito. Of course I would not do this every day, but there are so many options in order to generate short term pleasure as opposed to that in the long run. I'm more of a "live in the moment" sort of person. Take it in, enjoy it while I can. Sure I may not enjoy the academic part of school, but the social part I enjoy. In a year or so I may never see my friends here again. Why wouldn't I enjoy each little moment I have left?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I agree with your feeling that you should look at the positive parts of the day and to try and be happy. However, i feel that if you don't look at the long term and only live in the moment, it could jeopardize your happiness later on in life.
ReplyDeleteIf you do not enjoy the academic part of school, why do you particapate in it? The stoic point of view might tell you that if you do not enjoy this, you should do something that gives you better happiness in the now.
ReplyDeleteYou need to read the question a bit more carefully. Stoics do not concern themselves with personal happiness--merely longevity. They don't see winning the lottery as any better than a lightning storm wrecking their home.
ReplyDeleteUnlike Epicureans, Stoics don't calculate how to get the most pain free (or happiest) future--they simply believe that everything happens for a reason and try to live with it. Don't confuse the idea of living in the moment ("carpe diem") with the idea of short term pleasure. Carpe diem is a simple way of saying "No matter what life throws at me, I'm not going to let it bring me down."
You're right that Epicureans look at the long term, but only in a narrow way. They look at how to minimize pain in their life. That is their only long term goal.
What I wanted to know is if Stoics have a point when they say that Epicureans make a mistake in trying to live a life free from as much pain as possible.
as possible.