#368 - Pleasure vs. Purpose: Finding Balance in Modern Life

Viktor Frankl once wrote, “Those who cannot find a deep sense of meaning distract themselves with pleasure.” It’s a quote that resonates deeply within the Stoic tradition. The Stoics, much like Frankl, warned against the unmoderated pursuit of indulgence. Pleasure, entertainment, materialism—these things are not inherently wrong, but when used to fill a void of meaning, they become distractions. And distractions, by their nature, pull us away from our true purpose.

Yet, there’s an intriguing inversion of this quote—one that opens the door to deeper reflection. Chris Williamson, host of Modern Wisdom, proposed it: “Those who cannot find a deep sense of pleasure distract themselves with meaning.” At first glance, this seems to oppose Stoic thought. But when we dig deeper, we find that it holds an important truth for those of us on the path of self-improvement.


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