Debauchery
I remember back in 2008, listening to a pua named Mystery explaining three keys to happiness: Health, Wealth and Relationships. There’s a strong case for the balanced life. Of course we need our health – without it we are immobilized. Certainly we require wealth – nor for excess, but for comfort and survival. And unless you can live off the land, relationships are necessary, even with your grocer, or accountant.
The self-help mantra is to, “balance,” these three keys. Equalize the triad and you will unlock happiness.
Then what about debauchery?
de·bauch·er·y /diˈbôCHərē/
- Noun
- Excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures.
- Synonyms
- debauch – profligacy – dissipation – lechery
When we think of debauchery, we might imagine a dirty old man in a Cambodian brothel, whores dancing on his lap, cocaine dusting his face. The image is horrendous, right? Of course.
But what about the heroes whom we’ve cheered and worshipped? Characters from TV like Stiffler, Mr. Chow, or Barney Stinson.
In Siddhartha, the classic novel by Hermann Hesse, Siddhartha is being groomed to be the future Buddha. But instead of consigning himself to a life of study and leisure, he casts off his role as a spiritual leader and instead becomes a traveling hobo. After a time of vagrancy he learns commerce, amasses great wealth and power, and seduces a beautiful courtesan who teaches him the pleasures of the flesh (lucky bastard).
Siddhartha knew that to be well balanced in life, he would need to understand what it meant to be unbalanced. To understand simplicity, he would need to experience indulgence.
We like to think in black and white, right and wrong, left or right. Instead, think in terms of life experience and sensation or lack of (sleep).. And consider that everything you know to be true, is false.
I’ve had my share of hedonistic adventures. When I’m old and grey, I will understand a little bit more about what it means to be human. Not as much as someone who’s been to war and suffered greatly, but a little more than the guy who never traveled, married one woman forever, had one job and lived in the suburbs.
But those are the people we are brainwashed to be. We’ve forgotten the joy of hunting, roaming, and running.
There will never be perfect equilibrium, only a false sense of comfort, stability and safety. And when it crumbles we will be lost as a baby who can’t reach the teat of its sleeping mother.
There’s nothing wrong with a little sensation, a little pleasure, as long as you aren’t hurting anyone. Your debauchery might lead to wisdom, while those grasping at the safety net fall into the sharky waters.
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