Hedonism & The Experience Machine: Would you plug in for good?

[Iloko]

Are you a true 'Hedonist'?

Would you opt for a life with no pain and plug into 'The Experience Machine'? It would be indistinguishable from reality but would in fact just be a simulation guaranteeing experiences of only pleasure and never pain. The catch: you'd have to permanently leave reality behind. Watch these videos:

[Taiguaitiaoghyrmmumin]

I wouldn't. but it certainly would be tempting

[War Chef]

You can't really. If you saturate yourself with Dopamine the receptors will down-regulate over-time, meaning you will need more of that pleasurable activity (food, sex, drugs) to feel a fraction of the pleasure you first did.

[Dr. Robotnik the Subbotnik]

i wouldn't do it, i don't think

[War Chef]

It seems we are already living this life, or trying to.... At least in the west. Consumerism has never been this strong. With relatively little money you can get so many things that tickle your fancy. In fact our consumerist culture is nothing but the pursuit of worldly pleasure that will never satisfy.

Here, people live for the weekend, on Friday-Sat either go to fancy restaurants & indulge, or get drunk & make-love to each-other. It seems pretty repetitive.

Is there nothing else?

[Hàkon]

You can't really. If you saturate yourself with Dopamine the receptors will down-regulate over-time, meaning you will need more of that pleasurable activity (food, sex, drugs) to feel a fraction of the pleasure you first did.

If we imagine our neurolophysiology to remain natural in this hypothetic scenario, it's impossible.

But the premise was all the good without the bad - no built up resistance/ desensitization.


With the option to test it, of course I would give it a try - for the sake of curiousity as well as making an informed descision.

[Jacques de Imbelloni]

the real joy is in achieving things in life, not in instant gratification like food, orgasms and drugs.

[MissMischief]

I would rather not plug into the machine. I think this is because I desire an objective existence with a connection to deeper lasting reality.

[Dick]

You people are nuts.

[Neon Knight]

the real joy is in achieving things in life, not in instant gratification like food, orgasms and drugs.

Depends how hungry you are.