“Whenever you get an impression of some pleasure, as with any impression, guard yourself from being carried away by it, let it await your action, give yourself a pause. After that, bring to mind both times, first when you have enjoyed the pleasure and later when you will regret it and hate yourself. Then compare to those the joy and satisfaction you'd feel for abstaining altogether. However, if a seemingly appropriate time arises to act on it, don't be overcome by its comfort, pleasantness, and allure — but against all of this, how much better the consciousness of conquering it.”
- Epictetus, Enchiridion, 34
February 13, 2021 7:00 AM
Life is full of many pleasures, for sure. How are we to master self-control?
I believe Epictetus is giving us a clue. We all not only indulge in pleasure but often over-indulge. Once the pleasure and endorphins have abated, we become forsaken with guilt, nausea, pain. Epictetus is telling us to be conscious of just this.
Conclusion
If we can relate a pleasurable desire with the consequences, we can hopefully remove the appeal. Epictetus would then argue our self-control becomes the honest pleasure. We then only have regret for our desires.