There is another side to
hedonism that is often
ignored in the
maximization of
pleasure, the
minimization of
pain.
Pleasure is
frequently
transitory, while there are times when one can look back upon
a past
experience and
remember the pleasure and relive it again.
Likewise,
guilt always will haunt those with a
conscious and
provide a
lifetime of
pain.
If our pleasures are purely selfish, the accumulation of guilt can be
significant over time. This can certainly dampen daily pleasure.
Desire arising from pleasure is, other things being equal, stronger than
desire arising from pain.
--Baruch Spinoza, Ethics, Part 4, Proposition 18
Pleasure is not itself bad, but good. On the other hand, pain is in
itself bad.
--Baruch Spinoza, Ethics, Part 4, Proposition 41