“People understand the meaning of eating lies in the nourishment of the body only when they cease to consider that the object of that activity is pleasure. ...People understand the meaning of art only when they cease to consider that the aim of that activity is beauty, i.e., pleasure.” PeopleArtBodyLyingPleasureObjectsActivityEatingAimCeaseNourishmentMeaning Of Art Author:Leo Tolstoy
“Moral crusade: Public activity undertaken by middle-aged men who are cheating on their wives or diddling little boys. Moral crusades are particularly popular among those seeking power for their own personal pleasure, politicians who can't think of anything useful to do with their mandates, and religious professionals suffering from a personal inability to communicate with their god.” ThinkingMenLittlesSufferingReligiousPleasureMoralBoysWifeMiddlePoliticianActivitySeekingCommunicateCheatingInabilityLittle BoysMandatesMiddle AgedCrusadesInability To Communicate Author:John Ralston Saul
“Under present conditions, people are preoccupied with consumer goods not because they are brainwashed but because buying is the one pleasurable activity not only permitted but actively encouraged by our rulers. The pleasure of eating an ice cream cone may be minor compared to the pleasure of meaningful, autonomous work, but the former is easily available and the latter is not. A poor family would undoubtedly rather have a decent apartment than a new TV, but since they are unlikely to get the apartment, what is to be gained by not getting the TV?” PeopleMayPleasurePoorConditionsTvsActivityEatingAvailableMeaningfulIceFormerConsumersDecentBuyingLatterGoodsRulersMinorsApartmentCreamIce CreamUnlikelyAutonomousBrainwashedConesPoor FamilyIce Cream Cones Author:Ellen Willis
“Conversation in its happiest development is a link, equally exquisite and adequate, between mind and mind, a system by which men approach one another with sympathy and enjoyment, a field for the finest amenities of civilization, for the keenest and most intelligent display of social activity. It is also our solace, our inspiration, and our most rational pleasure. It is a duty we owe to one another; it is our common debt to humanity.” MenMindInspirationHumanitySocialPleasureCommonFieldsDutyDevelopmentCivilizationActivityConversationApproachIntelligentDebtRationalEnjoymentLinksDisplayFinestAdequateExquisiteSolaceAmenities Author:Agnes Repplier
“Society is the true sphere of human virtue. In social, active life, difficulties will perpetually be met with; restraints of many kinds will be necessary; and studying to behave right in respect of these is a discipline of the human heart, useful to others, and improving to itself. Suffering is no duty, but where it is necessary to avoid guilt, or to do good; nor pleasure a crime, but where it strengthens the influence of bad inclinations, or lessens the generous activity of virtue.” HumansHeartKindSufferingSocialPleasureVirtueStudySocietyInfluenceCrimeDutyDisciplineMetsActivityDifficultyGuiltActiveBehaveGenerousSpheresRestraintImprovingHuman HeartInclinationActive Life Book:The Rambler: In Four Volumes ... Source: The Rambler: In Four Volumes ...
“Outward, thanks to the knowledge of physical laws, man could subdue (or subjugate...) nature, but inwardly, he remained a slave to it. For, when all is said and done, at what is aiming all this display (or deployment) of activity, if not to realized outward profits, to provide material pleasure (or enjoyment). It is not the first time that men sell their birth right for a dish of lentils, and thus disown (or repudiate or deny) the best of thmeselves.” IfsMenFirstsSaidDoneLawPleasureMaterialsBirthActivityFirst TimeSellsSlaveProfitDenyThanksEnjoymentDisplayDishesSaid And DoneDeploymentLentils Author:African Spir
“How defeated and restless the child that is not doing something in which it sees a purpose, a meaning! It is by its self-directed activity that the child, as years pass, finds its work, the thing it wants to do and for which it finally is willing to deny itself pleasure, ease, even sleep and comfort.” WantYearsChildrenSelfPurposeWorkSleepPleasureWillingComfortActivityDenyEaseDefeatedRestless Author:Ida Tarbell
“As much pleasure as young people get from Twittering and texting, there is no way these activities will nourish their minds and spirits the way literature can.” PeopleWayMindYoungSpiritLiteraturePleasureActivityTexting Author:Katherine Paterson