Dostoevsky - Don't Become A Slave to Pleasure

ABOUT THE VIDEO
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In this video, I talk about Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov, comfort, pleasure, worldly people, monks, suffering, growth, and freedom.

In The Brothers Karamazov, Dostoevsky compares two different types of people: Worldly People and Monks. Worldly People are slaves to pleasure, and because of that, they lose their freedom, meanwhile Monks give up the pursuit of pleasure, and because of that, they keep their freedom. And if that’s true, then why? That’s what I wanna explore in this essay.

If you have faith that there’s a reason and meaning for suffering, you’ll be able to endure it, even if you don’t know exactly what that reason is, and by being able to endure suffering, you will not be a slave to pleasure and comfort, an by not being a slave to pleasure and comfort, you’ll retain your freedom, and by retaining your freedom, you’ll be able to serve any idea you want, rather than the idea someone else wants you to serve. But if you believe suffering has no meaning, it makes no sense to endure it, and it makes perfect sense to escape from it through pleasure and comfort, but if you escape from it, when tragedy eventually strikes, when you lose the pleasure and comfort you built for yourself, you’ll end up surrendering your freedom to the first person who can offer you pleasure and comfort, and why wouldn’t you, if suffering has no meaning?

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NOTES
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(1) Videos are just my opinion, for entertainment and informational purposes. Just some things to think about—not advice.

(2) Some of the links in the description are affiliate links which I get a kickback from—at no extra cost to you.

[kistar]

”The secret of happiness is not found in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less”… it fits well for this video.

[TheUnsungWayfarer]

"Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes" - Carl Jung

[NRG]

I’ve already made the mistake of indulging into too much pleasures yet I consider myself a monk cuz I’m all spiritual. If you want to know pleasure, go all the way in, then you’ll see it’s nothing more than pain.

[schopenhauer]

The "Wordly Monk" is the way to go for me. An individual that enjoys what the world has to offer with balance and aligned with his principles, not taking anything for granted and having the flexibility to adapt when disgrace knocks the door. The strong desire for freedom, in my view, is in itself a way of slavery and also not very helpful if what you're after is "happiness". That's because one needs to consider the human condition, and pleasures are part of it. Going a bit pretentious here, but to someone that might be reading this and watching related videos searching for answers, go and read philosophy, stop taking shortcuts and assuming things from short videos. Start with the classics, read a bit of everything, understand clashing concepts and you'll probably come to the conclusion that things are non-binary, there's no right and wrong - everything is both right and wrong at the same time - and ultimately this all is pointless, but you can give your own meaning(s) to satisfy your mind and keep going. At the end of the day, all that matters to your existence is what you think of it. Do it your way.

[MrSandManGiveMeADream]

21 rules of miyamoto musashi - the path of loner :
1 Accept everything just the way it is.
2 Do not seek pleasure for its own sake.
3 Do not, under any circumstances, depend on a partial feeling.
4 Think lightly of yourself and deeply of the world.
5 Be detached from desire your whole life.
6 Do not regret what you have done.
7 Never be jealous.
8 Never let yourself be saddened by a separation.
9 Resentment and complaint are appropriate neither for oneself nor others.
10 Do not let yourself be guided by the feeling of lust or love.
11 In all things, have no preferences.
12 Be indifferent to where you live.
13 Do not pursue the taste of good food.
14 Do not hold on to possessions you no longer need.
15 Do not act following customary beliefs.
16 Do not collect weapons or practice with weapons beyond what is useful.
17 Do not fear death.
18 Do not seek to possess either goods or fiefs for your old age.
19 Respect Buddha and the gods without counting on their help.
20 You may abandon your own body but you must preserve your honour.
21 Never stray from the way.

[gernhardzwischenknuppeln]

I desperately needed this video man! I am in a situation where virtually everyone around me is endulging in pleasure and I've been meaning to tell them they are a slave to whatever gives them pleasure, but didnt know how to put it! I will definitely get the book and read it !

[xslthrdx]

Reading this right now. Dostoyevsky is timeless.

[etiennekarekezi]

Your channel taught me more than my whole school teachers and university professors.

[raymondtendau]

If you can be with the pleasant and not chase after it.With the unpleasant and not resist it.With the neutral and not ignore it, then we have cut the chain of suffering at least for a moment and that is an incredible freedom and blessing.
-Rick Hanson
Buddha's Brain

[juliecostello]

"And in the end...the love you take..is equal to the love you make"

[gieji]

I've been suffering from a sick that I still don't know and this video proves me that when you know the purpose of your own sufferings, you can endure it no matter what. It made my belief built stronger and to hold on to the faith I am currently establishing. It's going to be alright!

[Saber]

Honestly bro I think a lot of people NEEDED this video right now thank you man 🙏❤️

[anonymouscode]

As a human being we run through emotions. Our mind trick us with pleasure. We feel taste and get high when we eat nice food, we get aroused inorder intimate, we get anger so we can knockdown our opponent etc. Those who learn to live without enjoying pleasure is those who defeated our natural subconscious emotions driven force. These monks are leaving dead as a Rock.

[keithlongley]

Dostoevsky, suffered, and credited that suffering to his prolific output of novels, his passion and raw truth to the human condition cannot be surpassed.

[ojivii]

I won’t give into simple pleasures and desires anymore 🙏🏾 I want to be free of my addictions

[piotrburgraf]

The meaning of suffering can be this - it pushes you, shapes you to be a certain type of a person. It gives your life a purpose. In example. I suffered when I was a kid. ( Like everyone else to a certain degree ). Suffering shaped me, made me to choose a certain path for many years, which I would not choose if I wasn't suffering. It made me who I am and who I am becoming. As it never ends I guess. That does not mean I'm suffering all the time. That is my ( currently) meaning of suffering. Thank you for the video. It reminded me that.

[spyroluver]

just what i needed! talked to my mates about it last night :D

[vishalkrishan]

Beautiful. The explanation where it depends on you whether to have faith (meaning) and endure suffering which make it worthy or choose to become apathic thus looking for escape in pleasures. Choose faith coz either way we can't predict what happens next moment so it somehow gives an intrinsic energy to endure pain. Meaning in your suffering makes life purposeful.

[kddk]

Great way to simplify this otherwise ambiguous concept. How you broke it down to digestible bites was utterly BRILLIANT!

[elsamkx]

That's was a wonderful video. Thank you for sharing 💖🙏🏼