Pleasures

[Whateverist]

After that, whenever I complete an exceptionally well crafted novels.

I heard that.

[AFTT47]

I guess this is partly a function of my age (58). I don't think of physical pleasures like young sexual experiences but instances of enlightenment - moments when I felt I had a particularly accurate understanding of the universe. In the parlance of theists: spiritual experiences.

I wish there was a better word for it but most atheists have felt a profound experience where they comprehend (as well as we can) the scale of the universe and realize how tiny we are. But at the same time, we recognize the vastness and realize that we have at least a small ability to comprehend it.

At the present, we are nothing but big-brained animals but although our intelligence is limited, it is sufficient for us to advance ourselves. Unlike lesser animals, we can in theory, increase our own ability to understand. I don't know what limits there may be to our own mental expansion but surely it is way beyond where we are now.

Perhaps more than any other post of mine, this one reflects what is as close to a "faith" as atheists get: Secular Humanism. I believe we are capable of expanding WAY beyond where we are now by our own hand. This is based on our best current understanding of physics. We should be able to expand our own intelligence.

That gives me pleasure, the thought that we are destined for greatness, far beyond what we are now.

Compared to future humans, we who understand this are like "Dennis" who never voted for King Arthur.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vJxrf1r0ak

[c172]

In my somewhat younger years, some superficial stuff. Like in the mid 80's, seeing "Punky Brewster's" Soleil Moon Frye in person. Or being taken as a kid to smooth jazz/new age concerts by, say, David Lanz or Dave Grusin, even though my mother was a hard rocker.

But nowadays, extended family seems to take center stage for me. Seriously. It's not something I just feel like I should say.

Weir how getting older puts things in perspective.

[Amarok]

1. A career that's help possibly hundreds of people (Immigrants, Veterans, Trans folk, Addicts , Prisoners )

2. The love of two gorgeous woman 

3. The fact i gotten to travel and live in other places for a brief but memorable time (Germany, Australia,Mexico , England ,North Carolina,Hong Kong ,South Africa,Romania ,Vancouver , Alberta , Newfoundland, Victoria , Winnipeg,Morocco,) And maybe some day i'll be able to see my grandmothers (on my fathers side)home land of Syria before i die. 

4.The fact i have been able to keep my form fit despite my age .(thou i really need to cut down of the sweets and exercise more )

 5.And i was once in a 5 way with a group of Romanian waitresses . Those women are freaky 

[paulpablo]

Taking ecstasy, getting drunk for the first time and smoking my first cig were all like getting a bullet of pleasure to the brain, but I wasn't really a happy confident person at the time of doing these things so it's difficult to say just how happy I was.  With ecstasy I was walking around with my pupils the size of saucers feel like a god so I must have been at least a little happy.

Sex with very good looking women. The chase before hand, the pleasure of doing it, the chilling out afterwards, the ego boost.

Apart from sex and drugs, laughter has probably given me the biggest hit of pleasure.  I probably had the best laughs of my life with my friends from around my teenage years, but I'm happier in general now and have some pretty good laughs with my friends in work. 

But those are pretty short term things, long term I'm just happy to be relatively healthy (as far as I know), to earn a decent amount of money and to have some sort of stability. In the sense that I live with my parents but even if they throw me out I have good savings.  I have a job I'm really happy to go to. I feel like I'm at a good long term level of pleasure these days, I even drive to work laughing and singing. Yeh I can be one of those annoying happy all the time kind of people on some days.

[Seraphina]

The day I graduated with my bachelor's degree ranks up there as a pleasurable experience for me.
Other than that, it's a lot of small moments-

-Crossing the threshold into home after a long day at work
-Watching my cherubic daughter frolick through parks - and life, really - when she was little.
-Visiting my friend of 40+ years back in New York last summer and even though we hadn't seen each other in 13 years, picking up our conversation like we just saw each other yesterday.
-Finally getting to see Julieta Venegas and the Gipsy Kings in concert after listening to their music for years. And singing along in Spanish even though my skills aren't that great.
-Dimming the living room lights on Christmas eve and admiring the twinkling lights on the tree.

-Teresa

[energizer bunny]

Wandering around, exploring the earth and enjoying its beauty.

Some of my most pleasurable moments also occurred while running at night. Sometimes it doesn't even feel like i'm running. More like i'm gliding or even flying, enjoying the cool breeze.

[LadyForCamus]

Buffy the Vampire Slayer convention, 2007.

[The Grand Nudger]

If I had to pick one thing that was uniquely, and maybe even completely satisfying.... it would be exhaustion.  That's where I find my zen.

Marathon tired.  Cant lift your limbs or bring yourself to care that you can't lift your limbs tired.  Indefinite lines between being awake and being asleep tired.  Altered perception ftw.

(I like my kids too, they're ok...but..you know, also assholes. It's a mixed bag. )

[Thumpalumpacus]

[...] the Gipsy Kings in concert after listening to their music for years.[...]

I only have one album of theirs, Love and Liberté, but it sure holds some beautiful memories for me. Fantastic band.

---

If I had to pick one thing that was uniquely, and maybe even completely satisfying.... it would be exhaustion.  That's where I find my zen.

Marathon tired.  Cant lift your limbs or bring yourself to care that you can't lift your limbs tired.  Indefinite lines between being awake and being asleep tired.  Altered perception ftw.

(I like my kids too, they're ok...but..you know, also assholes.  It's a mixed bag. )

Cold-beer tired was always a weak spot for me.