I think that even when we're "delaying pleasure" or "suffering now, to enjoy later" we are in fact still,
right now, avoiding pain or having the most pleasure we think we can.
Why? Take, for example, a person who wishes to lose weight. If that person went to eat a donut then would he experience pain or pleasure? IMO, there's a very high probability that he would in fact experience pain, because the feeling of guilt would be stronger than the sensual enjoyement of eating a donut.
Or take a religous freak who hurts himself to "be closer to god" or whatever. If he lived a normal or hedonistic life he could've been experienced much stronger pain, perhaps in the form of mental torments for not "aiming at the higher goal".
So eventually the experience of pain/pleasure is highly subjective. (Well, duh...) And it applies to every aspect of a human being, not just physical, but everything that can be experienced.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jarrod  I often do 'nothing' because it brings peace and happiness. Which asks the question of whether you include peace and happiness in 'pleasure'. |
So you're doing 'nothing' to avoid pain, because doing something would/could cause pain (anxiety/unhappiness/physical pain from falling from a bike/...).
Once doing 'nothing' becomes painful (boring/unsatisfying/...) you'll start doing something.