History Main / HedonismTropes

** TheMccoy: Hedonists frequently make up this part of a FreudianTrio, as they focus primarily on morality and emotion.

** TheMccoy: Hedonists frequently make up this part of a FreudianTrio, as they focus primarily on ethics and emotion.

** TheMccoy: Hedonists frequently make up this part of a FreudianTrio, as they primarily focus on ethics and emotion.

|| Micro || SafeSaneAndConsensual * EthicalSlut * GoodBadGirl * ChivalrousPervert || TheHedonist * ChaoticEvil * ChaoticNeutral * ForTheEvulz * LovableSexManiac * SexIsEvilAndIAmHorny ||

On the other hand, we have non-ethical hedonism, which fails by being too shortsighted, misguided, uncontrolled, egocentric, selfish or similar. On this bad side, we have everything from [[TheHedonist a juvenile quest for instant gratification]] to [[ForTheEvulz the joy of harassing innocent people]]. Here is also room for [[WellIntentionedExtremist misguided]] utilitarian extremists as well as [[StrawmanPolitical strawmen]] and {{Straw Hypocrite}}s who conveniently "forget" that other people have feelings too.

Tropes about this hedonism can be divided into two categories. First we have ''UsefulNotes/EthicalHedonism'', which is about caring about everyone's happiness (including one's own) in a responsible manner. On this good side, we have all reasonable versions of [[UsefulNotes/EthicalHedonism the philosophy of Ethical Hedonism]]. We also have a general desire for general happiness, based on empathy rather than philosophy.

On the other hand we have non-ethical hedonism, which fails by being too shortsighted, misguided, uncontrolled, egocentric, selfish or similar. On this bad side, we have everything from [[TheHedonist a juvenile quest for instant gratification]] to [[ForTheEvulz the joy of harassing innocent people]]. Here is also room for [[WellIntentionedExtremist misguided]] utilitarian extremists as well as [[StrawmanPolitical strawmen]] and {{Straw Hypocrite}}s who conveniently "forget" that other people have feelings too.

See [[UsefulNotes/EthicalHedonism the useful notes page]]. Also the other Wiki for more on [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedonism Hedonism]], [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utilitarianism Utilitarianism]], [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teleology Teleology]], and [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Singer various]] relevant [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuart_Mill philosophers]].

** GreyAndGreyMorality: When utilitarianism is applied to reality, there's almost never one choice that's all good and one that's all bad. All options have pros and cons that must be weighed against each other.

** YourMileageMayVary: Whatever makes a person happy is whatever makes that person happy.

** ChaoticGood: One common view on LawfulGood versus ChaoticGood is that LawfulGood is about [[ForGreatJustice good rules]] whileChaoticGood is about [[ForHappiness good consequences]].

** WithGreatPowerComesGreatPerks Enjoy your powers to improve your life and enjoy the perks. It isn't a rule that you must be a hero or a villain anyways...

[[/index]]

|| Macro || ForHappiness * ChaoticGood * NeutralGood * LawfulGood * FreeLoveFuture || BreadAndCircuses * TotalitarianUtilitarian * WellIntentionedExtremist * UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans ||

** BreadAndCircuses: When governments rely on hedonism to control the masses.

|| Macro || ForHappiness * ChaoticGood * NeutralGood * LawfulGood * FreeLoveFuture || TotalitarianUtilitarian * WellIntentionedExtremist * UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans ||

** EthicalSlut: SexIsGood, but only if you handle it in an ethical way - without deceit and betrayal and such.

** WithGreatPowerComesGreatPerks Enjoy your powers to improve your live and enjoy the perks. It isn't a rule that you must be a hero or a villain anyways...

** TotalitarianUtilitarian: EthicalHedonism gone horribly wrong.
** WellIntentionedExtremist: All they wanted was good consequences. Didn't work out so well.

** TheHedonist: Too shortsighted and self-centered to qualify as a [[EthicalHedonist real Hedonist]].
** ChaoticEvil
** ChaoticNeutral

** LovableSexManiac
** SexIsEvilAndIAmHorny: The desire for happiness, pleasure and love has been short-circuited in this character.

** IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: Making someone else's happiness a higher priority than ones own. Even a [[TheHedonist Narcissistic Hedonist]] might pull this one when really in love, while a TotalitarianUtilitarian expand it to include pretty much anyone.
** LetThemDieHappy: happiness is more important than truth, at least when the truth doesn't make any practical difference anymore.
** MoralDilemma: in utilitarian philosophy, EVERY situation is a moral dilemma where one need to figure out what course of action has the best consequences.
** YourMileageMayVary: whatever makes a person happy is whatever makes that person happy.
** GreyAndGreyMorality: When utilitarianism is applied to relaity, there's almost never one choice that's all good and one that's all bad. All options have good sides and bad sides that need to be weighed against each other.
** BlueAndOrangeMorality: When utilitarianism drifts off into a detached matematical calculation of right and wrong, it can easily land in conclusions that to most people seem simply... alien.
** SlidingScaleOfUnavoidableVersusUnforgivable: In Utilitarian thinking, this can pretty much be a matter of mathematics.

** WithGreatPowerComesGreatPerks Enjoy your powers to improve your live. It isn't a rule that you must be a hreo or a villain anyways...

why do u morons have a content warning

Hedonism is about making pleasure and happiness a high priority. Everyone wants to be happy, right?

Tropes about this hedonism can be divided into two categories. First we have ''UsefulNotes/EthicalHedonism'', which is about caring about everyone's happiness (including one's own) in a responsible manner. On this good side, we have all reasonable versions of [[UsefulNotes/EthicalHedonism the philosophy of Ethical Hedonism]]. We also have a general desire for general happiness, based on empathy rather than philosophy.

On the other hand we have non-ethical hedonism, which fails by being too shortsighted, misguided, uncontrolled, egocentric, selfish or similar. On this bad side, we have everything from [[TheHedonist a juvenile quest for instant gratification]] to [[ForTheEvulz the joy of harassing innocent people]]. Here is also room for [[WellIntentionedExtremist misguided]] utilitarian extremists as well as [[StrawmanPolitical strawmen]] and {{Straw Hypocrite}}s who conveniently "forget" that other people have feelings too.

There is also another division, this time in scale. The hedonism can be either on a macro level, affecting everyone or at least a lot of people. Or it can be on a micro level, affecting only Bob and Alice and the people closest to them. On the Micro side, we have people simply living their lives. On the Macro side we have those who try to bring happiness to everyone, or at least a wider circle of people than themselves and their personal circle of friends.

Because of the natural tendency to simplify things, Ethical Hedonism is sometimes known as Utilitarianism or Teleology. This is ''practically'' true, since Ethical Hedonism is the most widespread form of Utilitarianism and Utilitarianism is the most widespread form of Teleology. However, it is slightly inaccurate to call Teleology the same thing as Ethical Hedonism, since:

* Teleological morality is the theory that actions should be judged by their results rather than by what principles they follow. The contrast is [[ForGreatJustice Deontology]], the theory that actions should be judged by what principles they are based on rather than what results the actions have.
* Utilitarianism is the theory that the desirable results to aim for is to maximize the good and minimize the bad.
* Ethical Hedonism is the theory that the Good is happiness, pleasure, et cetera, while the bad is sorrow, suffering, et cetera.

See [[UsefulNotes/EthicalHedonism the useful notes page]]. Also the other Wiki for more on [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedonism Hedonism]], [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utilitarianism Utilitarianism]], [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teleology Teleology]], and [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Singer various]] relevant [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuart_Mill philosophers]].

Together, the two divisions forms four boxes. Several tropes fit into one of these boxes:

|| border=1
|| * || Ethical || Non-ethical ||
|| Macro || ForHappiness * ChaoticGood * NeutralGood * LawfulGood * FreeLoveFuture || TotalitarianUtilitarian * WellIntentionedExtremist * UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans ||
|| Micro || SafeSaneAndConsensual * EthicalSlut * GoodBadGirl * ChivalrousPervert || TheHedonist * ChaoticEvil * ChaoticNeutral * ForTheEvulz * LovableSexManiac * SexIsEvilAndIAmHorny ||


Please note that hedonism tropes are tropes about how to value happiness etc rather than about specific kinds of [[HappinessTropes happiness]], [[LoveTropes love]] or [[FetishFuel pleasure]]. Also, when adding a trope that fits this index, please add it both above (in a box or the list of related tropes) and in the index below. However, do ''not'' add counterexamples (such as the deontology tropes ForGreatJustice and PrinciplesZealot) to the index.

!!!Tropes related to hedonistic morality include:
[[index]]
* [[UsefulNotes/EthicalHedonism The Useful Notes page on Ethical Hedonism]].
* Good Macro
** ForHappiness: Characters who believe in Ethical Hedonism and/or have a general desire to spread happiness.
** ChaoticGood: One common view on LawfulGood versus ChaoticGood is that LawfulGood is about [[ForGreatJustice good rules]] whileChaoticGood is about [[ForHappiness good consequences]].
** NeutralGood: ...while NeutralGood is both.
** LawfulGood: However! While many LawfulGood characters disregard happiness in favor of duty, there are also those who think that a good rule is a rule that maximizes happiness while minimizes suffering. In other words, they are rule-utilitarians, while the ChaoticGood are action-utilitarians.
** FreeLoveFuture: In the future, everyone is an EthicalHedonist / EthicalSlut.
* Good Micro
** SafeSaneAndConsensual: Do whatever you enjoy, but make sure to do it in such a way that you minimize the risk that someone comes to harm.
** EthicalSlut: SexIsGood, but only if you handle it in an ethical way - without deceit and betrayal and such.
** GoodBadGirl: A (gendered) ethical counterpart of SexIsEvilAndIAmHorny.
** ChivalrousPervert: A (gendered) ethical counterpart of SexIsEvilAndIAmHorny.
* Bad Macro
** TotalitarianUtilitarian: EthicalHedonism gone horribly wrong.
** WellIntentionedExtremist: All they wanted was good consequences. Didn't work out so well.
** UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans: Does it, now?
* Bad Micro
** TheHedonist: Too shortsighted and self-centered to qualify as a [[EthicalHedonist real Hedonist]].
** ChaoticEvil
** ChaoticNeutral
** ForTheEvulz
** LovableSexManiac
** SexIsEvilAndIAmHorny: The desire for happiness, pleasure and love has been short-circuited in this character.
* Related
** IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: Making someone else's happiness a higher priority than ones own. Even a [[TheHedonist Narcissistic Hedonist]] might pull this one when really in love, while a TotalitarianUtilitarian expand it to include pretty much anyone.
** LetThemDieHappy: happiness is more important than truth, at least when the truth doesn't make any practical difference anymore.
** MoralDilemma: in utilitarian philosophy, EVERY situation is a moral dilemma where one need to figure out what course of action has the best consequences.
** YourMileageMayVary: whatever makes a person happy is whatever makes that person happy.
** GreyAndGreyMorality: When utilitarianism is applied to relaity, there's almost never one choice that's all good and one that's all bad. All options have good sides and bad sides that need to be weighed against each other.
** BlueAndOrangeMorality: When utilitarianism drifts off into a detached matematical calculation of right and wrong, it can easily land in conclusions that to most people seem simply... alien.
** SlidingScaleOfUnavoidableVersusUnforgivable: In Utilitarian thinking, this can pretty much be a matter of mathematics.


[[/index]]

** YourMilageMayVary: whatever makes a person happy is whatever makes that person happy.

** ChaoticGood: One common view on LawfulGood versus ChaoticGood is that LawfulGood is about [[ForeGreatJustice good rules]] whileChaoticGood is about [[ForHappiness good consequences]].

** TotalitarianUtilitarian: EtheicalHedonism gone horribly wrong.

** ChaoticGood
** NeutralGood
** LawfulGood
** FreeLoveFuture

** SafeSaneAndConsensual
** EthicalSlut
** GoodBadGirl
** ChivalrousPervert

** TotalitarianUtilitarian
** WellIntentionedExtremist
** UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans

** TheHedonist

** SexIsEvilAndIAmHorny

!!!Other tropes related to hedonistic morality include:
* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: Making someone else's happiness a higher priority than ones own. Even a [[TheHedonist Narcissistic Hedonist]] might pull this one when really in love, while a TotalitarianUtilitarian expand it to include pretty much anyone.
* LetThemDieHappy: happiness is more important than truth, at least when the truth doesn't make any practical difference anymore.
* MoralDilemma: in utilitarian philosophy, EVERY situation is a moral dilemma where one need to figure out what course of action has the best consequences.
* YourMilageMayVary: whatever makes a person happy is whatever makes that person happy.
* GreyAndGreyMorality: When utilitarianism is applied to relaity, there's almost never one choice that's all good and one that's all bad. All options have good sides and bad sides that need to be weighed against each other.
* BlueAndOrangeMorality: When utilitarianism drifts off into a detached matematical calculation of right and wrong, it can easily land in conclusions that to most people seem simply... alien.
* SlidingScaleOfUnavoidableVersusUnforgivable: In Utilitarian thinking, this can pretty much be a matter of mathematics.

!!!Index of the above tropes

** ForHappiness

** IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy
** LetThemDieHappy
** MoralDilemma
** YourMilageMayVary
** GreyAndGreyMorality
** BlueAndOrangeMorality
** SlidingScaleOfUnavoidableVersusUnforgivable

|| * || Good || Bad ||

|| Micro || SafeSaneAndConsensual * EthicalSlut * GoodBadGirl * ChivalrousPervert || TheHedonist * ChaoticEvil * ChaoticNeutral * ForTheEvulz ||

->Most people want to be happy.
->Most people enjoy pleasure.
->Hedonism is everywhere

What is Hedonism? Well, it's about making pleasure and happiness a high priority. But what does THAT mean? One way of looking at it is to divide it in two ways. First, good and reasonable versus bad and unreasonable. Second, Micro level (personal/private life) versus Macro level (Social or political).

On the good side, we have all reasonable versions of [[UsefulNotes/EthicalHedonism the philosophy of Ethical Hedonism]]. We also have a general desire for general happiness, based on empathy rather than philosophy.

On the bad side, we have extremist versions of ethical hedonism as well as pure [[TheHedonist Straw Hedonism]] that conveniently "forget" that other people have feelings too.

On the Micro side, we have people simply living their lives. On the Macro side we have those who try to bring happiness to everyone, or at least a wider circle of people than themselves and their personal circle of friends.

|| Macro || ForHappiness * ChaoticGood * NeutralGood * FreeLoveFuture || TotalitarianUtilitarian * WellIntentionedExtremist * UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans ||
|| Micro || EthicalSlut * GoodBadGirl * BrainsAndBondage * ChivalrousPervert || TheHedonist * ChaoticEvil * ChaoticNeutral * ForTheEvulz ||

** BrainsAndBondage

See [[UsefulNotes/EthicalHedonism the useful notes page]]. Also the other Wiki for more on [[[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedonism Hedonism]], [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utilitarianism Utilitarianism]], [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teleology Teleology]], and [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Singer various]] relevant [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuart_Mill philosophers]].

->''With you all\\
I'll learn to share\\
My hours of leisure\\
Life is folly\\
And only pleasure counts''
--> -- "The Drinking Song", ''LaTraviata''

On the good side, we have all reasonable versions of the philosophy of Ethical Hedonism. We also have a general desire for general happiness, based on empathy rather than philosophy.

See the other Wiki for more on [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedonism Hedonism]], [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utilitarianism Utilitarianism]], [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teleology Teleology]], and [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Singer various]] relevant [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuart_Mill philosophers]].