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Pain for pleasure?

Magic Poriferan

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Okay. Broad philosophical question.

Is it better to live a life with:
Neither agony nor ecstasy?
Or
Equally large amounts of both agony and ecstasy?

Think carefully about the implications of these choices, and then tell me your opinion. :)
 

Kiddo

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An all or nothing question eh? There would be considerably less motivation in life if there was no agony or ecstasy, so I would choose the latter. :yes:
 

alcea rosea

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No, but the original question is not reasonable. The options you gave are not the only ones. You can choose something else.

Neither agony nor ecstasy?
Or
Equally large amounts of both agony and ecstasy?


I choose minimal pain and maximum happiness. I live like I choose. I cannot escape from pain but I can live as happily as I can.
 

Magic Poriferan

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No, but the original question is not reasonable. The options you gave are not the only ones. You can choose something else.

Neither agony nor ecstasy?
Or
Equally large amounts of both agony and ecstasy?


I choose minimal pain and maximum happiness. I live like I choose. I cannot escape from pain but I can live as happily as I can.

Then you miss the point of a hypothetical. :tongue:
 

Night

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Okay. Broad philosophical question.

Is it better to live a life with:
Neither agony nor ecstasy?
Or
Equally large amounts of both agony and ecstasy?

Think carefully about the implications of these choices, and then tell me your opinion. :)

Agony and ecstasy are byproducts of risk; sacrifice. An existence therefore absent of both suggests a reality without (traditional) development.

Large is a relative term and could account for something quite "small" and without identifiable importance to anyone, save the individual who categorizes the sum. Large is arbitrary and is likely evidence of our shared cultural metalanguage we use to communicate indefinite terms of value belonging to a larger frame or idea. In this framework, things can be both small and large without ever violating the requirements of either.

Neither answer is a veritable possibility for me, as each deals with impressions outside the normal functions feasible in my immediate world.

While I personally dislike pain and/or discomfort, I find myself intermittently bruised due to a host of things - all theoretically within my grasp to control, yet stubborn inches from my fingertips when control is critical.


Idealism; nihilism: different ways to say "I love you".

To answer your question directly, I'd prefer an existence of uncertainty.
 

disregard

mrs
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Neither agony nor ecstasy. That is pretty much how my life is now, and I like it.
 

aeon

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Aside from individual preferences, it is better to live a life with both agony and ecstacy in terms of the biological imperatives implied by having limbic and adrenal systems, in particular the HPA axis, and its mediation by experiences of agony and ecstacy, and those experiences' effects on cortisol, dopamine, and other hormones and neurotransmitters.

Why better? Better because it is healthy, and the context was living life.


cheers,
Ian
 

Seanan

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I think the terms are relative... one man's agony is just another man's pain. As such, I don't believe I've experienced either... perhaps coming close to agony which tells me the intensity of its flip side but, all-in-all, I've done just fine without them and see no need of them. In fact, I think they have the potential at least of interfering with rationality and, given that, can be fairly destructive.... another reason for nix.
 

Journey

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Having lived with a what I think is a large amount of relative agony to a miniscule amount of ecstacy, I would not have missed the lessons I learned from my agony and I could do with some more ecstacy! So I would have to say the latter.

additional thought: To live a passionless life is no life at all.
 
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Journey

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Neither agony nor ecstacy are requirements for passion.

True, but none of us experiences the ultimate of the two (probably) so on a continuum they could be said to be within bounds of passion. Do I know what I'm talking about? I think so, but am not sure...:huh:
 

Magic Poriferan

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It IS a relative concept, and that's fine.

Think of what agony and ecstasy are to you. Think of what a "large" amount is to you. It's all personalized. This is all about you.
 

Seanan

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Okay... if its about me... then, no.. definitely not necessary and, by definition, antithetical to rationality/reason.. I deem that dangerous.:

Edit: I certainly wouldn't want anyone making a decision that might affect me, myself included, when in the throws of either... interesting word "throws"... nor functioning on the memory of them.
 

Athenian200

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I want neither agony or ecstasy. Both of them cause you to view reality through a distorted lens. I actually consider ecstasy almost as bad as agony, because it causes you to ignore negative things the way agony can blind you to good things.

I have little of either in my life right now, and prefer being fairly unexcited and comfortable.
 

Magic Poriferan

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I want neither agony or ecstasy. Both of them cause you to view reality through a distorted lens. I actually consider ecstasy almost as bad as agony, because it causes you to ignore negative things the way agony can blind you to good things.

I have little of either in my life right now, and prefer being fairly unexcited and comfortable.

That's exactly the sort of response I expect from you, Athenian. :hug:
 

suzyk

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Is it better to live a life without neither agony or ecstacy? Or should there be equally large amounts of both?

No. It is important to have both in a life. If you don't have sadness or pleasure/joy in a life, wouldn't your life be very boring? If you can only feel pleasure in life, how can you really enjoy it without feeling some kind of pain? Agony and ecstacy come as they go. If you have a large amount of both, you probably wouldn't be able to control your emotions. Wouldn't you end up depressed in the end? I would rather have a normal amount of both. In order to truly enjoy pleasure, you must know what it feels like to be in pain.
 
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