Doing it for the pleasure
Some pleasures are considered guilty, why?
Greetings
Guilt, as per the Cambridge Dictionary, is defined as “a feeling or worry or unhappiness that you have because you have done something wrong, such as causing harm to another person.” Synonyms for the word ‘guilty’ include ‘ashamed’, ‘embarrassed’, ‘abashed’ and ‘sheepish’.
I have never quite grasped the idea of ‘guilty pleasures’ considering the above. It feels a contradiction, this thing of feeling guilty about the things that give us pleasure. Of course, if the thing that gives us pleasure is destructive, it is a problem but what is living without doing the things that give us pleasure, especially in times like now, when we are all navigating a global pandemic that is truly disrupting life as we know it.
In a way, this is a time to reflect on how we are living, what we put our attention and focus on, and modify our day-to-day accordingly. This is a time to live to the fullest, while collectively looked down. This means that we should embrace what gives us pleasure a bit more, instead of postponing for a later date or time.
The Stoics explored death, particularly from the perspective of what its inevitability means for actual living.
“It is not death that a man should fear, but rather he should fear never beginning to live.” —Marcus Aurelius
“Let us prepare our minds as if we’d come to the very end of life. Let us postpone nothing. Let us balance life’s books each day. The one who puts the finishing touches on their life each day is never short of time.” —Seneca
This has greatly influenced how I view the things that give me pleasure like reading and cigars.
1
Seneca was a Roman philosopher and statesman now considered one of the major Stoics. His views are well documented in a collection of letters he wrote to his friend Lucilius, published under Moral Epistles and Letters from a Stoic. I am currently reading Volume 1 (of three) of The Tao of Seneca: Letters of a Stoic Master which Tim Ferriss put together. They are available for free download (PDF) on Ferriss’ site under Tao of Seneca. The audiobook series is also available (paid) for download, if that’s what you prefer.
2
Constant learning brings with it a certain satisfaction and fulfilment but, sometimes, our existing knowledge can hinder learning. The Art of Shoshin - Approaching Life With a Beginner’s Mindset to Become a True Expert.
3
I didn’t know that the art of Yoann Bourgeois was what I needed in my life until I saw a clip on Twitter.
4
“In this here place, we flesh; flesh that weeps, laughs; flesh that dances on bare feet in grass. Love it. Love it hard.” - Toni Morrison
Toni Morrison on the Body as an Instrument of Joy, Sanity, and Self-Love.
5
To be honest, I don’t really know who writer and humourist Fran Lebowitz is but I just started watching Pretend, It’s A City on Netflix in which she sits with Martin Scorsese to talk New York City, music, art, and life, in general. Her wit and sardonic and sarcastic perspectives are insightful and entertaining. Her love for New York is unsurpassed and has made me look at my city, Johannesburg, differently. Every city has its own spirit and rhythm.
6
There are the people that we see, the people at the forefront and then there are those behind the scenes are as important, making things tick over, making things happen, like Asa Asika: The African Crossover Specialist.
7
We lost a friend, a father, a brother, a husband, an uncle and a true icon in the passing of Wandi “DJ1D” Nzimande. The sheer vastness of his influence on the lives of so many particularly in fashion, music, entertainment, television and culture is mind-blowing. We recently celebrated 20 years of Loxion Kulcha and he had so many visionary plans.
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And a thank you to those of you who have reached out, both online and out in the world, and shared your thoughts on both Zebra Culture by Kojo Baffoe and some of the stories shared.
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Kojo