In the book "Stoic Challenge" William Irvine explores the concept of deliberate abstinence that many stoics submitted themselves to. If you ate ice cream every

In the book "Stoic Challenge" William Irvine explores the concept of deliberate abstinence that many stoics submitted themselves to. If you ate ice cream every day, then very soon your taste buds would grow accustomed to it, craving newer flavors. If you ate ice cream twice a year, you would experience a major taste sensation. The purpose of abstinence is to keep those sensation events (and the joy derived from them) at high level.