Line #25 Main/HedonismTropes


1	Hedonism is about making pleasure and happiness a high priority. Everyone wants to be happy, right?
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3	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.
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5	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 [[StrawCharacter strawmen]] and {{Straw Hypocrite}}s who conveniently "forget" that other people have feelings too.
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7	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.
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9	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:
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11	* 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.
12	* Utilitarianism is the theory that the desirable results to aim for is to maximize the good and minimize the bad.
13	* Ethical Hedonism is the theory that the Good is happiness, pleasure, et cetera, while the bad is sorrow, suffering, et cetera.
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15	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]].
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17	Together, the two divisions forms four boxes. Several tropes fit into one of these boxes:
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19	\|\| border=1
20	\|\| * \|\| Ethical \|\| Non-ethical \|\|
21	\|\| Macro \|\| ForHappiness * ChaoticGood * NeutralGood * LawfulGood * FreeLoveFuture \|\| TotalitarianUtilitarian * WellIntentionedExtremist * UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans \|\|
22	\|\| Micro \|\| SafeSaneAndConsensual * EthicalSlut * GoodBadGirl * ChivalrousPervert \|\| TheHedonist * ChaoticEvil * ChaoticNeutral * ForTheEvulz * LovableSexManiac * {{Sadist}} * SexIsEvilAndIAmHorny \|\|
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25	Please note that hedonism tropes are tropes about how to value happiness etc rather than about specific kinds of [[HappinessTropes happiness]], [[LoveTropes love]] or [[{{Fetish}} 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.
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27	!!!Tropes related to hedonistic morality include:
28	[[index]]
29	* [[UsefulNotes/EthicalHedonism The Useful Notes page on Ethical Hedonism]].
30	* {{UsefulNotes/Epicureanism}}, a philosophy advocating ethical hedonism.
31	* Good Macro
32	** ForHappiness: Characters who believe in Ethical Hedonism and/or have a general desire to spread happiness.
33	** ChaoticGood: One common view on LawfulGood versus ChaoticGood is that LawfulGood is about [[ForGreatJustice good rules]] while ChaoticGood is about [[ForHappiness good consequences]].
34	** NeutralGood: ...while NeutralGood is both.
35	** 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.
36	** FreeLoveFuture: In the future, everyone is an EthicalHedonist / EthicalSlut.
37	* Good Micro
38	** 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.
39	** EthicalSlut: SexIsGood, but only if you handle it in an ethical way -- without deceit, betrayal, etc.
40	** GoodBadGirl: A (gendered) ethical counterpart of SexIsEvilAndIAmHorny.
41	** ChivalrousPervert: A (gendered) ethical counterpart of SexIsEvilAndIAmHorny.
42	** 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...
43	* Bad Macro
44	** TotalitarianUtilitarian: EthicalHedonism gone horribly wrong.
45	** WellIntentionedExtremist: Tried to have good consequences. Didn't work out so well.
46	** UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans: Does it, now?
47	* Bad Micro
48	** TheHedonist: Too shortsighted and self-centered to qualify as a [[EthicalHedonist true Hedonist]].
49	** ChaoticEvil
50	** ChaoticNeutral
51	** DeathlessAndDebauched
52	** ExecutiveExcess: A businessman too obsessed with indulgence and luxury to qualify as a WorkHardPlayHard type.
53	** ForTheEvulz
54	** LovableSexManiac
55	** {{Sadist}}
56	** SexIsEvilAndIAmHorny: The desire for happiness, pleasure, and love has been short-circuited in this character.
57	* Related
58	** BreadAndCircuses: When governments rely on hedonism to control the masses.
59	** CrapsackWorldEscapistSanctuary: When the real world is too terrible to cope with, characters seek happiness and pleasure in a dream world.
60	** IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: Giving the happiness of someone else a higher priority than one's own. Even a [[TheHedonist Narcissistic Hedonist]] might pull this one when really in love, while a TotalitarianUtilitarian will expand it to include pretty much anyone.
61	** LetThemDieHappy: Happiness is more important than truth, at least when knowing the truth makes no practical difference anymore.
62	** TheMcCoy: Hedonists frequently make up this part of a FreudianTrio, as they focus primarily on morality and emotion.
63	** MoralDilemma: In utilitarian philosophy, '''every''' situation is a moral dilemma where one needs to figure out what course of action has the best consequences. (Rule Utilitarians attempt to avoid the ParalysisByAnalysis that this can cause by establishing the system of rules that has the best consequences.)
64	** GreyAndGrayMorality: 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.
65	** BlueAndOrangeMorality: When utilitarianism drifts off into a detached mathematical calculation of right and wrong, it can easily land in conclusions that seem, to most people, simply... alien.
66	** SlidingScaleOfUnavoidableVersusUnforgivable: In utilitarian thinking, this can pretty much be a matter of mathematics.
67	[[/index]]

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