I was raised on #hedonism and old habits die hard. Sometimes I indulge, though I know it’s a fool’s game. I have “junkie-reasoning” for that indulgence, which is that #abstinence robs us of the opportunity to parse the folly of pursuing #happiness through #pleasure.

It’s not water-tight, this “argument”, but it’s predicated on the #assumption that we can’t transform our #attachment to what we are not in #contact with.

Happy to discuss ~ eager, even: I could be wrong… it’s happened before!

@bodhipaine
Schopenhauer says that "man knows what he wants but doesn't know why he wants it." That's why, when I want something, I first ask myself why I want it, not to avoid it, but to be aware and not make excuses. On the other hand, monk or layperson, it's not impossible to enjoy small pleasures. I think the key is that one can "enjoy" things but not "need" them; they are different things. We become addicted to pleasures, but I believe we can reverse that addiction.
@unsui I believe we can too, and that what you’re describing is classic *indriya-samvara*, sense restraint.