When we put pleasure first it means we are exploring what gives us diversion, makes us happy and feel alive. It means we put these things first before anything else. We think when we accomplish putting pleasure first there will be more time to have fun. For example, financial goals may be your pleasure and you may say ” When I make “X” amount of money I will have time to relax” Ahhh time to relax, what a foreign concept.

I do not believe that the pursuit of pleasure is the purpose of life. Just pursuing what one perceives to be happiness can make others around you fell inadequate. People become so focused on that which MUST be done that they seem to be avoiding things that bring them happiness. Why would you avoid things that bring you happiness?

Surviving vs Thriving. There are many factors that dictate which one we are doing. One of those factors is how we are raised and the environment in which we grew up in. We live in a society where these basic needs are met in different ways. There are families that struggle for basic human needs and there is a sense of strife generated in the children being raised in this environment. This mentality can take several generations to outgrow. A sense of security can be absent even when basic needs are met. It is possible that someone can have millions in the bank and still be worried about surviving. Someone can live paycheck to paycheck and feel secure. So a sense of security is really based on how we identify our security and how secure we feel will determine how much pleasure we allow ourselves to have.