Tuesday, March 2, 2021

day no. 15,471: power over pleasure

"Power is a deeper desire than pleasure, though most of us do not realize this. Kierkegaard explains why, 'If I had a servant in my employ who, when I asked him for a cup of cold water, brought instead the world's costliest wines blended in a chalice, I would dismiss him; for true pleasure is not in getting my wine but in getting my way.' If we have power, we can push the pleasure buttons at will. Power is broader than pleasure because it includes power over pleasure." -- Peter Kreeft, Three Philosophies of Life

Getting what we want is a deeper driver than getting what is best, because sometimes we won't want what's best for us or sometimes we want the authority to decide what is best for us and for others to comply. If you have power, you can always pick wine, but if you want water and are given wine, you haven't gotten your way which strikes at a different chord altogether.

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