tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7167131.post8188420241367405422..comments2024-01-27T09:02:10.815-08:00Comments on Jim Davies: the Blog: Controlling PleasureJim Davieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09958201922371210613noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7167131.post-28248124274137689252008-04-10T01:16:00.000-07:002008-04-10T01:16:00.000-07:00Interesting. My question to you is, why would you...Interesting. My question to you is, why would you be concerned with making the statement that drug taking and meditation or novel reading are synonymous means of upping our pleasure intake? Other than this country's current view of drugs as anathema. Imagine, if you were...crushed under a bus, you'd want your pleasure neurotransmitters stroked. Or if you could reach nirvana in that state...it could be useful, no? It's interesting indeed that Ecstasy was developed in the 60s to help couples during marriage counseling. It worked too. The problem with drugs as would be the problem with the button in your chest, or masturbation for some people, is some peoples' brains are wired for addiction: the obsessive/compulsive need above anything else that becomes a detriment to their lives. Novel reading and meditation are just not speedy means of pleasure transmission...or I bet we'd here a lot more "om deva guru" going on.<BR/><BR/>It's funny but I read this and I think: He's in a round-about way poking at the universal question, "What's the meaning of life?" Which seems to be on everyone's mind these days with Oprah's new book club selection of Eckhart Tolle's book. Which you more succintly and comically discussed in your "Redneck Video Game Approach to Life." The power of the moment. Where you are right now.<BR/><BR/>Which brings me back to your blog. Why do we believe the pleasure all the time is wrong. Because we think it wastes life...usefulness. What is the true point of all the usefulness? To be happy? I guess if I really start to think about it, happiness and pleasure are not synonymous. I would be interested in what science says about the difference in our brains.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04044282189129281552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7167131.post-50466263561980611752008-03-31T08:26:00.000-07:002008-03-31T08:26:00.000-07:00The learning is real but the skills you're learnin...The learning is real but the skills you're learning are not (on the face of it, anyway) useful. So yes, you're REALLY learning tetris, but so what? The skill doesn't particularly translate to any actually useful task. <BR/><BR/>I for some games, however, I can see the skills possibly transferring to some real-world task.Jim Davieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09958201922371210613noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7167131.post-77857023438154414462008-03-29T09:35:00.000-07:002008-03-29T09:35:00.000-07:00Is there not also some theory whereby be get some ...Is there not also some theory whereby be get some pleasure from absorbing a piece of information or learning a new skills (passive media, games respectively). Wouldn't it make sense that this is the source of pleasure, rather than incorrectly perceiving that the experience is "real"?Dustinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03532096045669909047noreply@blogger.com