The Path Toward Happiness Paved Through Epicureanism Essay
Since the beginning of time, a wide range of people, including philosophers and
psychologists, have researched the notion of happiness, with many sharing the idea that
happiness can be viewed as the ultimate pursuit in life. Yet, as many different philosophies
explore the desire for pleasure, Epicurus, one of many philosophers, uses Epicureanism to set
a unique meaning to happiness that can both be beneficial and arguable. With ideas such as
minimalism and the importance of human connection to support his notion of “serene
hedonism,” this essay will explore both sides of whether or not Epicureanism can be seen as
the path to happiness.
In our modern world, it is difficult for people to picture their society becoming one of
simplicity through Epicureanism, as their minds have been programmed to associate desirable
feelings with external factors like materialism, drug use, social media addiction, or any other
aspect that will allow them to escape reality. An example of this can be found in the rising
issue of social media addiction and the science behind the pleasure it allows people to feel.
With tools like the infinite scroll, people’s ability to refresh the content they consume allows
them to feel a quick rush of dopamine. When rapidly transitioning between different types of
content, our brain transitions from one piece of content to another at a fast pace, resulting in
our brain creating a neurological "high”. This is true not only for social media addiction but
applies to addiction of any kind, as the pleasure of any type of “high” can be so desirable that
one will chase after more, creating an endless loop that will eventually associate this "high"
with true happiness. For this reason, it is understandable that the philosophy of Epicureanism
will not be very beneficial regarding the path to finding happiness, as our current society has
already created a path regarding finding happiness and it is surely not one that can be found
through simply living or limiting our desires.
Since the beginning of time, a wide range of people, including philosophers and
psychologists, have researched the notion of happiness, with many sharing the idea that
happiness can be viewed as the ultimate pursuit in life. Yet, as many different philosophies
explore the desire for pleasure, Epicurus, one of many philosophers, uses Epicureanism to set
a unique meaning to happiness that can both be beneficial and arguable. With ideas such as
minimalism and the importance of human connection to support his notion of “serene
hedonism,” this essay will explore both sides of whether or not Epicureanism can be seen as
the path to happiness.
In our modern world, it is difficult for people to picture their society becoming one of
simplicity through Epicureanism, as their minds have been programmed to associate desirable
feelings with external factors like materialism, drug use, social media addiction, or any other
aspect that will allow them to escape reality. An example of this can be found in the rising
issue of social media addiction and the science behind the pleasure it allows people to feel.
With tools like the infinite scroll, people’s ability to refresh the content they consume allows
them to feel a quick rush of dopamine. When rapidly transitioning between different types of
content, our brain transitions from one piece of content to another at a fast pace, resulting in
our brain creating a neurological "high”. This is true not only for social media addiction but
applies to addiction of any kind, as the pleasure of any type of “high” can be so desirable that
one will chase after more, creating an endless loop that will eventually associate this "high"
with true happiness. For this reason, it is understandable that the philosophy of Epicureanism
will not be very beneficial regarding the path to finding happiness, as our current society has
already created a path regarding finding happiness and it is surely not one that can be found
through simply living or limiting our desires.
