It is best to live a balanced life than to jump between the two extremes. Moderation is key. The trouble with being hedonistic is that once one has indulged in material pleasures, the pleasure associated with it wears out over time, and it becomes an addiction to find a higher form of pleasure to the senses. It loses meaning. Living a life in moderation helps to make the pleasures in life meaningful, as well as seeking to give oneself a meaningful life through means other than the senses alone.
true.
i would agree with the original post in the sense that - yes, i do believe one has to enjoy life in the current moment, the here and now, because that is the only time when one REALLY lives.
however, there are many different varieties of pleasure. there are basic sensory pleasures, such as food or sex, there are subtler sensory/aesthetic pleasures, such as the ones derived from art or observing nature (and again sex or food, for some). then there is the sense of fulfillment one gains from doing something one finds valuable - i feel that when i design and complete an embroidery project, or finish a translation successfully, or write something that manages to express my emotions and/or connect to the emotions of someone else, but it could be anything. there is the delight from relating to other people, having friends, building a family, having that special sense of intimacy with a significant other. some people specifically derive pleasure from dedicating themselves to helping others. there is also the pleasure from acquiring a measure of wealth, gaining status and recognition or acceptance from others (these feel somewhat alien to me, personally, but this doesn't mean they are not important to some).
i think one feels best when all these different kinds of pleasure are present in one's life, and when there is a reasonable balance between all of them. if a person concentrates on just one - say, the first type, basic material or sensory pleasure, or the last, status and wealth - there will be an imbalance, because other parts of that person's being will demand to have "their" variety of pleasure as well, but will not get any. hence that vicious circle of overindulgence, inner emptiness, then more overindulgence that is supposed to drown it out and never does.
so yes, i suppose one could call me a hedonist too - but it depends on how one defines "hedonism".
