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Can someone explain why less hedonistic is seen as better?
by zrth 9y ago
Can someone explain why less hedonistic is seen as better?
- a_humean 9y agoThat's the debate in the article body. Less hedonistic meaning they are having less sex and so fewer unintended and teenage pregnancies, less drinking and drugs and so less violence and anti-social behavior, better relations with the parents and in particular their fathers, and more pursuing further education. Basically every metric of bad behavior that used to be a cause of concern for 80s and 90s teenagers is across the board at record lows for the current generation of teenagers. Downside is they are more likely to be depressed, stressed, sexless and lonely with weak connections to their age peers.
- gtt 9y agoI don't think drinking less and doing less drugs makes you more depressed, stressed, sexless and lonely. I think the reverse is true with possible exception of loneliness, but you are better off without the type of company booze and drugs provide.
- mantas 9y agoIf company sans booze and drugs exist. Online gaming doesn't count as company.
- dsfyu404ed 9y agoBooze and drugs are often social activities. If everyone's busy there's less time to go get high with your friends.
- darepublic 9y agoMore social isolation could lead to both less drugs and sex. Less drugs is probably good but if it is only because people are becoming depressed shut-ins, that's bad
- b6 9y agoSuppose you have problems in your life, and you're suffering. You could drink alcohol or take opiates, and they might make you feel better for a while. But the effect wears off, and you're back in the same situation, except now maybe your problems are a bit worse, because the drugs made you sick, or made you do something you regret, or you become addicted, or you miss the feeling of them, or your tolerance has increased. You're flirting with a downward spiral. It's an unskillful way to handle suffering. Well, same thing for trying to get solace from sex. It's like two drowning people trying to use each other as life preservers. Or two junkies who stay together just as long as they think the other person is helping them get the feeling they want. Love makes relationships safer because you will not purposefully harm the other person if you love them. You cannot love someone and use them to get a feeling to their detriment because if you love them their well-being is more important to you than your own.
- bigmanwalter 9y agoI love your analogy of two drowning people. It really helps put into perspective so many of the relationships I have witnessed.