THE PLEASURE SEEKERS
AND
THE GOOD LIFE
BY
GEORGE
GHANOTAKIS, Ph.D.
CONTENTS
Introduction 3
A. THE PLEASURE SEEKERS
The Opening
-The general setting 11
-The characters
-The Audience
Act I:
The Hostess’ anxiety 15
ACT II Carpe Diem!
Aristippus’ formula of pleasure 25
ACT III Free as the gods!
Epicurus’ No stress pleasure 39
ACT IV The Pleasure-Pain
Calculus: Bentham’s 7 habits of Pleasure 57
ACT V Not a pig philosophy! 71
Mill’s happiness principle
B. ON VIRTUE AND THE
GOOD LIFE:
Socrates’ virtue of moral life 81
C. IN SEARCH OF IDENTITY
David Hume’s stand up act 104
D. SEVEN DIALOGUES ON
THE MEANING OF LIFE 109
With PHIL and SOPHIA
E. QUESTIONS FOR
DISCUSSION 125
F. BIBLIOGRAPHY 133
Introduction
The most beautiful lessons of life are learned through subtletly. The moral and spiritual ideas proposed in this volume intend to serve truth while stimulating reflection. They enact the dramatisation of important concepts. Both teens and adults will enjoy reading and performing.
The main theme explored is what constitutes the pleasurable and good life through the major representatives of hedonism and the philosophy of happiness.
If a character expresses unhealthy or
immoral hedonistic tendencies which
lead to his or her downfall, the lessons
learned can only contribute to a healthier
well-being and a better philosophy of
life.
This collection of dramatic and
amusing skits shows how one can apply philosophy in an entertaining light-hearted manner without sacrificing the subtlety and substance of the medium nor the serious life-changing message of philosophy conveyed.
These dramatic sketches are aimed
at introducing important moral concepts for upper elementary or high school audiences. Students will enjoy reading these sketches and find the dramatisation lively, imaginative and pertinent. The topics selected cover contemporary issues revolving around distinct kinds of happiness the pleasurable, the good and meaningful life ( Seligman, 2003).
The skits are designed to easily fit a program or structure be it Language Arts, Drama, Social Studies, Character Education or a philosophy or psychology enriched curriculum for moral and spiritual living. The idea of involving the class through audience participation is an important step towards forming "communities of virtue" in the classroom.
In addition to the plays, I have
included quick monologues and "two-minute" wit and wisdom sketches on the virtues and the meaningful of life. These mini-skits serve as wake-up calls to the good life and could be used as a springboard for reflection and classroom dialogue. A section of follow up questions for understanding and applying concepts is provided for consolidating insights in individual or group work.
These skits offer resource material that complements the presentation of insights into moral life of the volume 101 Questions and Lessons of Virtues from the Great Thinkers. (Ghanotakis, 2003).
It is hoped that readers of the New
Positive Psychology’s focus on pleasure and happiness (M. Seligman, Authentic Happiness, 2002) will find in these plays a fertile ground for reflecting on the three different paths to happiness: The Pleasure life, the Good Life and The Meaningful Life.**
** See Seligman’s on line Authentic
Happiness Newsletter of Dec. 27, 2002., and June 2003)
THE PLEASURE
SEEKERS
A PLAY
BY
GEORGE
GHANOTAKIS, Ph.D.
THE PLEASURE
SEEKERS
A PLAY
Featuring
Aristippus the Cyrene
Epicurus
Jeremy Bentham
and John Stuart Mill
The General Setting
A dinner party or " symposium" provides the setting for a playful, yet profound meeting of minds" in which four pre-eminent "hedonists"- those who believe happiness is defined in terms of pleasure and is the sole good in life.
Aristippus of Cyrene, Epicurus, Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill present their varying conceptions of the art of pleasure and the good life.
The nature of the subject – pleasure, happiness – a fertile ground for both humour and edification, the combination of the historical characters, lively discussion, skits and audience participation make for interested and engaged viewing as well as a compelling appeal for reflection over how and why one is living the way one is.
The Main Characters:
Aristippus of Cyrene (ca 435-356 B.C), founder of Cyreanic Hedonism is known for advocating the pursuit of momentary pleasures, uninhibited hedonism focusing on Carpe diem (enjoying the present moment)
Epicurus (341-270 B.C.) founder of Epicurianism and the Garden of Athens- teaches that the good life is refined intellectual pleasure and contentment by valuing the durable pleasures of friendship.
Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832) British utilitarian and quantitative hedonist—pleasure is of one kind and only differs in quantity and degrees, not quality.
John Stuart Mill (1806-1973) British utilitarian and qualitative hedonist- pleasures differ in quantity and kind, from animalistic to superior spiritual properly human pleasures.
One by one, and in the historical lineage the four philosophers appear, have a brief introductory conversation with the hostess, and then disappear into the party. The dialogue reveals something about their thought, much about their character, each dressed historically.
The Hostess - Compulsive, somewhat frenetic and neurotic, and humorous in that. She has called for and organised the dinner party. She is a contemporary character representing modern anxieties about values and " life-styles"; she has consulted the hedonists, transcended history to bring them together to see what wisdom they could offer.
Various players, characters, revellers at the party, taking part in merriment, actively "whooping it up" and acting in the skits.
Audience members called up for
" Audience participation" segments.
THE PLEASURE
SEEKERS
ACT I
Opening
Joyous song, dance and poetry. Anonymous characters recite and revel, addressing audience with their song and poems while frolicking with one another. The recurrent theme of CARPE DIEM- seize the day- is sounded
The contrasting themes of pleasure and pain are introduced, evolving intone a conflict between pleasure and pain. This finally is superseded with litanies and devotions to pleasure over pain and to the importance of laughter and fun as time is flying (this is all reflected in mood, music and dance and in the singing of the following poem)
" Gather ye rosebuds while ye may
Old time is still- a flying;
And this same flower what smiles today,
Tomorrow will be dying…
That age is best which is first,
When youth and blood are warmer;
But being spent, the worse, and worst,
Time still succeeds the former.
Then be not coy, but use your time,
And while ye may, go marry
For having lost but once your prime
You may forever tarry.
(Robert Herrick, " To the Virgins, To Make Much of Time."
THE HOSTESS
A lone character (The Hostess) stands outside the house, the doorway on which is open and faces frontward to the audience. She is dressed contemporarily.
The Hostess paces nervously, restlessly muttering. She has called the characters together in her process of soul-searching and reflection.
She is anxious, somewhat neurotic,
concerned about the quality of her life. She represents modern anxieties (à la Woody Allen) and has transcended history in an act of unconscious hubris to see what wisdom she has to offer.
She is worried the guests will not enjoy themselves, that the party will be a flop- that the pleasure seekers may have a painful experience.
_______________
THE HOSTESS:
" What if they do not show?
What if … they just don’t…show?
What? I could be waiting, waiting, waiting for…hours, and waiting for…like a fool!
Have I been a fool to invite them?
I mean it was some labour. I might have offended God or someone…or someone!
Or someone!
(She stops, pauses, and is visibly perplexed).
But God wouldn’t be a hedonist, at least not from what I gathered. Much more stern, and serious. Priests must be celibate, what kind of pleasure would that be?
But…and this is the important question…am I a hedonist? I do admit that for me a "good" life is one, which is a lot of fun, but is pleasure the sole and highest good? My boss certainly wouldn’t think so, not with the pain she causes me, or any of my teachers for that matter.
No, I don’t think God is a hedonist—not with all the pain and suffering in the world.
God! A pleasure seeking, dancing God! What am I talking about? The closest I’ve ever felt to God is when I read that parable about the soil and the seeds.
Now Jesus was a farmer (she begins to act the story out) " I am a farmer, here I plant my seeds (bending), some fall on rich soil, some on poor.
Those which fall on rich soil grow tall and bear fruit. Those, which fall on poor soil, are strangled by the weeds and are battered by the rocks.
I’ve been anxious all my life…am I rich or poor soil?
(Sulking) God never showed in my garden! My garden didn’t bear any fruit, for that matter.
(Wondering)
Now come on, I can’t be nervous. I must calm myself, placate my mind, stilling it like a calm lake, reflecting the primal energy of the cosmos and radiating it through my now contented soul like energy, paving the way to self-realisation. Expanding my consciousness.
Then maybe I can look back into my hidden self to uncover my latent potential and realise my past identities, in past lives…(pauses)
PAST LIVES! (Shrugs this off).
Ah! Where are they, what if they don’t like my party (turns away striking a thoughtful pose)
(Turns to the audience) What if you gave a dinner party for four guys who believe pleasure to be the raison d’être for living?
My God! What if the pleasure seekers find pain? They won’t like it, at all. If I fail I really bomb!
Ah well, the conversation will be good, and there’ll be good food and wine; plenty of wine, plenty of it, but what if…it’s sour or rotten? (Turns way, worried).
( End of Act I)
(Excerpt from Act 2 Carpe diem)
THE PLEASURE
SEEKERS
ACT II
CARPE DIEM!
ARISTIPPUS OF CYRENE
(ENTERS ARISTIPPUS, from stage right. Aristippus is absently wandering, arms full with ripe fruit. He is eating an apple, sensuously, engrossed and indulging).
HOSTESS:
ARISTIPPUS, ARISTIPPUS! of Cyrene?
(No reply)
Aristippus, the father of hedonism, the first to declare quite outrightly that pleasure is the sole good of life, that the good life is pleasure.
(No response)
Welcome Aristippus, welcome…
(Aristippus walks by, enraptured with his food)
Aristippus.
Aristippus!
ARISTIPPUS! (Yelling) ARISTIPPUS! ARISTIPPUS!
(Frustratingly, still no reply. Hostess walks towards ARISTIPPUS, takes from her pocket a delicate fruit, puts it in ARISTIPPUS ’ purview.
ARISTIPPUS notices it and begins to follow it as she pulls it back and him to the door. As he reaches for it, she pulls it back, and he comes falling in upon her.
ARISTIPPUS:
Drat! Oh the pain. (He is holding his head) Ohhhh the pain! Ohhhhhhh!… Where’s that luscious prospect of a fruit. (He grips the hostess’ shoulder, begins to cry upon it).
HOSTESS:
(Yelling)
WELCOME ARISTIPPUS!
ARISTIPPUS: (backs away, timid and seeming weak, overwhelmed with needless suffering. He is uncomfortable, turning frantic).
Why must you do that? This p-p-p-p-pain! Is soooo disturbing!
(Grimacing, whining).
Why must you do that? Why must you do that?
HOSTESS:
I just want to welcome you, that’s all. Now, ARISTIPPUS, let me make sure I have this right—it’s very important to me. You …were the father of hedonism, and you thought pleasure to be… (She stops, trying to remember)
ARISTIPPUS (interrupting her reflection)
Why do you ask me such things when I have this whole bounty of fruit—ah delectable fruit—in my arms and
(Looking in through the open front door, eyes lighting up, growing excited) and wine, and …look at all that! (ARISTIPPUS stumbles towards the door, the hostess cuts him off).
HOSTESS:
ARISTIPPUS I want to talk to you.
(ARISTIPPUS trying to outmanoeuvre her to get into the door)
ARISTIPPUS!
( he is not listening).
ARISTIPPUS! ARISTIPPUS, what is the good life? ( still not responding).
( breaking down, the hostess wails)
Oh ARISTIPPUS what am I to do with myself?
ARISTIPPUS:
( in a low whisper, while still looking in the door)
" Pleasure!"
HOSTESS: ( surprised)
What?
ARISTIPPUS:
( turning towards her)
The supreme good in life is pleasure. You asked, so I answered.
HOSTESS:
Pleasure of what kind?
ARISTIPPUS:
( still quietly)
Immediate, intense sensual gratification.
HOSTESS:
Well what about those more refined pleasures—discussion, contemplation, chess? And what about what we are doing now—isn’t this pleasure, at least sort of?
ARISTIPPUS:
This is rest, mere tranquillity…It is more like indifference. Pleasure, to be savoured, NOW! That is music to my ears. Pleasure is like a gentle swaying motion, it is not mere rest. It is more like ( he begins to dance, with the hostess). Dancing! The gratification of all appetites.
( he bites into an apple).
HOSTESS:
But what about of virtue?
ARISTIPPUS:
Virtue . You mean ARETE ( virtue in Greek). Virtue is excellence in pleasure, the capacity for enjoyment. And excellence in having pleasure resides in being master not slave to pleasure.
Being master, is being in control, maintaining control over the enjoyment in order to avoid suffering pain or disappointment.
That’s why I say " possess but not be possessed" by pleasure. And about my lover " I have Lais, not she me!" Control but not be controlled, this is how you win in the pleasure game.
A real hedonist is someone who knows how to really control pleasures in the midst of enjoyment! The wise person enjoys his present prudently with measure and self-control.
HOSTESS:
But isn’t that selfish? How can you be so egotistical, and call this virtue?
ARISTIPPUS:
Sure it is! But do you prefer suffering or enjoyment of the moment? Besides, have you not noticed that those who practice this control, or enlightened self-interest, are usually pretty darn happy, able to avoid stressful situations, oblivious to social responsibilities ?
HOSTESS: ....
( Contact Philos Institute for the complete play)
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