I prefer to have a meaningful life surrounded with ethics, hard work and a zeal to become something. I am not interested to have a pleasurable life. Pleasure always comes in the work you do and the way you enjoy. Simple pleasure does not make sense and is waste.
Of course I want to live a meaningfully life. Sometimes, most of the things regarded as pleasurable are enemies of living a life of impact.
The pleasurable or meaningful choice is addressed in the ancient Katha Upanishad. talks about this: (shastras.com/upanishads-krishna-yajur-veda/katha-upanishad/)
1-II-1. Different is (that which is) preferable; and different, indeed, is the pleasurable. These two, serving different purposes, blind man. Good accrues to him who, of these two, chooses the preferable. He who chooses the pleasurable falls from the goal.
1-II-2. The preferable and the pleasurable approach man. The intelligent one examines both and separates them. Yea, the intelligent one prefers the preferable to the pleasurable, (whereas) the ignorant one selects the pleasurable for the sake of yoga (attainment of that which is not already possessed) and kshema (the preservation of that which is already in possession).
And then as discriminating intelligence:
1-III-3. Know the Self to be the master of the chariot, and the body to be the chariot. Know the intellect to be the charioteer, and the mind to be the reins.
1-III-4. The senses they speak of as the horses; the objects within their view, the way. When the Self is yoked with the mind and the senses, the wise call It the enjoyer.
1-III-5. But whoso is devoid of discrimination and is possessed of a mind ever uncollected – his senses are uncontrollable like the vicious horses of a driver.
1-III-6. But whoso is discriminative and possessed of a mind ever collected – his senses are controllable like the good horses of a driver.
1-III-7. But whoso is devoid of a discriminating intellect, possessed of an unrestrained mind and is ever impure, does not attain that goal, but goes to samsara.
Samsara is Hindu for the cycle of death and rebirth as life is bound to the material world.
More contemporary, the article "Is a Happy Life Different from a Meaningful One?” greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/happy_life_different_from_meaningful_life
Happy people satisfy their wants and needs, but that seems largely irrelevant to a meaningful life. Therefore, health, wealth, and ease in life were all related to happiness, but not meaning.
· Happiness involves being focused on the present, whereas meaningfulness involves thinking more about the past, present, and future—and the relationship between them. In addition, happiness was seen as fleeting, while meaningfulness seemed to last longer.
· Meaningfulness is derived from giving to other people; happiness comes from what they give to you. Although social connections were linked to both happiness and meaning, happiness was connected more to the benefits one receives from social relationships, especially friendships, while meaningfulness was related to what one gives to others—for example, taking care of children. Along these lines, self-described “takers” were happier than self-described “givers,” and spending time with friends was linked to happiness more than meaning, whereas spending more time with loved ones was linked to meaning but not happiness.
· Meaningful lives involve stress and challenges. Higher levels of worry, stress, and anxiety were linked to higher meaningfulness but lower happiness, which suggests that engaging in challenging or difficult situations that are beyond oneself or one’s pleasures promotes meaningfulness but not happiness.
· Self-expression is important to meaning but not happiness. Doing things to express oneself and caring about personal and cultural identity were linked to a meaningful life but not a happy one. For example, considering oneself to be wise or creative was associated with meaning but not happiness.
Finally, the article, “The Greatest Threat of All: Human Instincts Overwhelm Reason,” talks about the importance of moderating human instincts with intellect: (psychologytoday.com/blog/how-risky-is-it-really/201501/the-greatest-threat-all-human-instincts-overwhelm-reason):
"Dangerous, because the belief that our intellect can provide the tools and enlightened leadership that will ride to the rescue, arrogantly denies the inescapable truth that we are still mostly instinctive animals, each of us compelled by deep subconscious urges to do what we can as individuals to survive today; and the day after that, and everybody else, are just not as much of a concern.”
These are three references from very different sources that speak to your question. My focus is on how we can turn those who prefer pleasurable choices, which are typically self-over-others-kinds of choices, toward a more humane point of view which supports sharing our resources with others.
You need to have to live a pleasure life, because your life doesn't need a meaning to live. By_Sachi Vanshika
Fair question. I found it useful because I am in the middle of writing an essay about humanism and the balance between institutionally turning toward pleasure and discerningly turning toward meaning is central.
I was hoping to see learned comments but ...
It is quite obvious and clear that leading a meaningful life should be preferred than pleasurable life. Leading a meaningful life is certain and good and each and everyone supports whereas pleasurable life is uncertain and character and ethics gets damaged.
Obvious to one may be nonsense to another. Think of your mind as having two masters, The dominant human instincts which control at birth. Second, the discerning intellect which is only a small voice at birth.
Human instincts will usually turn us toward the pleasurable unless it is somehow moderated by reason. It comes from an urge to assure dominants of genes.
The normal distribution probably applies here. To the left is increasing dominance of instincts where zero (far left) is birth dominance of our human instincts. To the right is increasing dominance of intellect with 100% being ... well, we are still trying to figure that out.
As a person matures, presumably, the person moves along the continuum toward the right. From my unscientific experience, one must be at around 80% for intellect to be dominant over instincts. (Mensans would argue top .2% but the most dangerous animal is the smart animal.)
In this imaginary model, only 20% of our population can be expected to select the meaningful. All else will have flashes of clarity, but generally turn toward whatever promotes their gene pool. That looks like pleasurable in this story.
(This is silly. I am an engineer. You all should be telling me this.)
Meaningful Life.Because the energy invested in meaning allows you to connect with your deeper purpose. The more you engage with meaningful life, not only does it grow with time, it also provides you with a happy, fulfilling life.
Meaningful life gives you the purpose of living. Without purpose life is just like a boat without a oar!
Life is neither misery, pain or pleasure. It is always beyond human perception to see life as a whole. The existence present in the form becomes meaningful when consciously attaining the truth beyond pain and pleasure. The total existence lies in nothingness. And, this nothingness becomes meaningful and eternal.
Regards
I love with my family and blessings from my parents and in laws
With some little help to poor people
We r educated people so some work to protect our nature from human induced problems
This is enough for my life
I prefer my life with some meaning, my contribution of good deeds to family, society and country.
I prefer my life should be meaningful in terms of words and actions. Work is more important and each one is meant for that. Pleasure should be enjoyed after work.
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