4 ms·

That is the only way to sell recreation or relaxation to Americans. Benefiting yourself or pursuing pleasure always has to be justified. I can't recall the so

That is the only way to sell recreation or relaxation to Americans. Benefiting yourself or pursuing pleasure always has to be justified. I can't recall the source, but I read a long and insightful article about this specifically and the difference in viewpoint between Americans and most Europeans. It explains why some products and trends perform differently across those places despite so much else being shared.

copperx 7y ago
> Benefiting yourself [...] always has to be justified. Do we live in different Americas? Benefiting yourself is revered in America, in my experience.
- otakucode 7y ago
  I can't think of any situations where self-benefit, when not justified by claims it will make you more able to function as a worker or 'contribute to society' (aka an employer), isn't laced with implications of inherent immorality, assumptions of damaging health, etc. If food is delicious, it must be unhealthy. If an innovation makes things easier, it must be dangerous. If something is fun, it is probably addictive. If something is addictive, it is inherently immoral and bad. If you pursue pleasure, you are self-destructive. Yes, if you take up exercise and yoga and healthy eating, that could be seen as 'benefitting yourself'.... but it is OK only because those things are cloaked suffering. They're things you don't want to do, they cause pain or discomfort and involve avoiding doing the things you would prefer to do. I am open to a counterpoint. I might just not be thinking of something where doing something pleasurable because you care for it for your own benefit is seen as a positive, something a mother would love to hear her child is pursuing, something that would be met with people at a party saying 'good for you!' that is, at the bottom of it, just fun.

4 ms·

That is the only way to sell recreation or relaxation to Americans. Benefiting yourself or pursuing pleasure always has to be justified. I can't recall the so

by otakucode 7y ago

copperx 7y ago
> Benefiting yourself [...] always has to be justified. Do we live in different Americas? Benefiting yourself is revered in America, in my experience.
- otakucode 7y ago
  I can't think of any situations where self-benefit, when not justified by claims it will make you more able to function as a worker or 'contribute to society' (aka an employer), isn't laced with implications of inherent immorality, assumptions of damaging health, etc. If food is delicious, it must be unhealthy. If an innovation makes things easier, it must be dangerous. If something is fun, it is probably addictive. If something is addictive, it is inherently immoral and bad. If you pursue pleasure, you are self-destructive. Yes, if you take up exercise and yoga and healthy eating, that could be seen as 'benefitting yourself'.... but it is OK only because those things are cloaked suffering. They're things you don't want to do, they cause pain or discomfort and involve avoiding doing the things you would prefer to do. I am open to a counterpoint. I might just not be thinking of something where doing something pleasurable because you care for it for your own benefit is seen as a positive, something a mother would love to hear her child is pursuing, something that would be met with people at a party saying 'good for you!' that is, at the bottom of it, just fun.