By reader request, Asceticism
Ascetic is the opposite of hedonistic. It means scorning worldly desires and pleasures, and self-denial. It's sometimes thought to create spiritual discipline, or sometimes just someone's tendency.
The spiritual discipline version is on the same order of magnitude of absurdity as theism.
One common cause of ascetic qualities is arrogance. Another is anti-capitalism. TV is for the masses of capitalist drones, to keep them mindless. Products are a trap for lesser people, and I shall avoid them. Toys are for low brow kids; mine will enjoy nature and possibly some books and be free. Look at all those Joe Schmoes wasting the money they slaved away for at McDonald's for a few minutes of pleasure, they won't fool me. blah blah blah
Joy is a great thing.
I suppose there is an important distinction that needs to be made now: some ascetics don't value joy, others simply have trouble creating much.
Feh, this isn't going well. Write comments with questions, I'll just make this really simple.... To those who don't value joy: you're silly. To those who have trouble finding joy: I sympathise.
Messages (11)
Why is it bad to not value joy?
-Lulie Tanett
why no answer?
no joy?
why be alive?
> no joy?
>
> why be alive?
why not be alive?
What would be the point of living without joy?
> What would be the point of living without joy?
You can do interesting stuff.
>> What would be the point of living without joy?
>
> You can do interesting stuff.
and doing interesting stuff gives you no joy? how does that work?
> and doing interesting stuff gives you no joy? how does that work?
The stuff is interesting. So I think "interesting", not "yippee."
what do you think "yippee" about?
what do you mean by yippee? why do you think joy is yippee?
if something is interesting for you doesn't it mean it's enjoyable? vs being boring?
"i'm not enjoying this, but it's interesting."
does it happen?
Ayn Rand didn't define joy as yippee. she didn't think laughing at comedies was joy.
From We the Living:
> And because she worshipped joy, Kira seldom laughed and did not go to see comedies in theaters.
> Ayn Rand didn't define joy as yippee. she didn't think laughing at comedies was joy.
>
> From We the Living:
>> And because she worshipped joy, Kira seldom laughed and did not go to see comedies in theaters.
that quote does not imply that the author doesn't think laughing at comedies was joy.
it's making a statement about *worshipping* joy, which isn't what you guys were talking about.