The Pleasure and Pain Principle

[Ms Tercy Lonan]

The Pleasure and Pain Principle

As we just explained, the Creator’s only wish is for us to be
filled with joy. Recognizing this truth is central to our path to
perfection. It is no secret that we all desire pleasure and often go
to great lengths to find it.
But if the Creator’s intent was for us to seek and experience
endless pleasure, how does pain fit into the equation? You and
I do not commit to any action unless we believe that it will,
in some way, make us feel good or, at least, better. Each of
our actions is a result of a calculation that our happiness will
increase. In this way, you and I consciously put ourselves through
painful situations to gain
greater pleasure.
Certain painful situations
make us reevaluate
what we believe are the
causes of our happiness and
rank them according to importance.
Say you have a
Rolex watch, the ownership
of which brings you great
pleasure—what it represents
in the way of achievement,
what it says about your status,
and who knows what
else. One day, a mugger puts a gun to your chest and demands
your beloved watch, or else… Most sane people would agree to a
painful act (in this case, giving up a cherished item) in order to
avoid a more painful act (injury of some sort or worse).
Think of it as a sort of pleasure-ranking system. People
can calculate that any current discomfort is worth the future
pleasure. In other words, current pain may be worthwhile in
order to obtain some future pleasure.

As we just explained, the Creator’s only wish is for us to be
filled with joy. Recognizing this truth is central to our path to
perfection. It is no secret that we all desire pleasure and often go
to great lengths to find it.
But if the Creator’s intent was for us to seek and experience
endless pleasure, how does pain fit into the equation? You and
I do not commit to any action unless we believe that it will,
in some way, make us feel good or, at least, better. Each of
our actions is a result of a calculation that our happiness will
increase. In this way, you and I consciously put ourselves through
painful situations to gain
greater pleasure.
Certain painful situations
make us reevaluate
what we believe are the
causes of our happiness and
rank them according to importance.
Say you have a
Rolex watch, the ownership
of which brings you great
pleasure—what it represents
in the way of achievement,
what it says about your status,
and who knows what
else. One day, a mugger puts a gun to your chest and demands
your beloved watch, or else… Most sane people would agree to a
painful act (in this case, giving up a cherished item) in order to
avoid a more painful act (injury of some sort or worse).
Think of it as a sort of pleasure-ranking system. People
can calculate that any current discomfort is worth the future
pleasure. In other words, current pain may be worthwhile in
order to obtain some future pleasure.