History Main / TheHedonist

* General Iroh from ''[=~Avatar: The Last Airbender~=]'' pretend to be very much the hedonist, much to the chagrin of his naive nephew who refuse to see that the evil empire doesn't deserve their loyalty. For Iroh life's little pleasures are more important then doing his duty... but only when his duty is actually evil, destructive or plain unworthy. Whenever he have a ''worthy'' cause to fight for, he's dedicated and self-sacrificing if needed.

* In the ''DungeonsAndDragons'' setting {{Planescape}}, the Sensates are a faction dedicated to experiencing every sensation and act that they can. Many members take this as an excuse to become hedonists; they are looked down on for indulging one sensation--pleasure--to the exclusion of all others, and to blinding themselves to new experiences. There's even a place in Arborea where the Sensates dump these guys because they're considered such an embarrassment.

** Your tax dollars at work.

** [[FridgeLogic Who on earth would build a Hedonism-bot?]]
*** Remember, this is the same world that builds kleptomaniac bots and mobster bots. Oh, and Mom's insane.

[[folder: Real Life]]
* Ah yes, the mantra of TheSeventies--when drugs were everywhere and sex was a sport. It was a completely different world back then. The seventies section of ''ForrestGump'' is definitely a 90s movie version of the period.
* Hugh Hefner, founder of [[PlayboyBunny Playboy]].
* Despite creating the philosophical basis for hedonism, the real life Epicurus majorly averted this trope, while he believed that achieving pleasure and avoiding pain is the greatest goal in life, he also realized that a life of unlimited debauchery would cause more pain in the long-term than pleasure in the short-term (those triple bacon burgers may taste heavenly now, but would you really choose to endure a heart attack, a stroke, and shaving 10 years off your life for a bit of gluttony?). He instead lived a life of moderation and learning. The later Epicureans tend to forget this point.
* While many Real Life atheists are accused of acting hedonistic, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madalyn_Murray_O%27Hair MadalynMurray O'Hair]] seemed to go out of her way to actively cultivate a hedonistic image. (Even if the accusations of her stealing money and cheating aren't true, she still had very little regard for established law and traditional forms of authority and preferred to say and do whatever she felt like saying and doing.)
[[/folder]]

* General Iroh from ''[=~Avatar: The Last Airbender~=]'' is very much the hedonist, much to the chagrin of his nephew.

* The future version of Castiel in Supernatural episode 'The End.'
** Gabriel from Supernatural(also known as the Trickster) appears to be this, tormenting others for his entertainment, creating women out of thin air, gorging himself of chocolate and other desserts. Then of course it's revealed that, although he does enjoy it, he actually means some of the lessons he claims to be trying to teach and seems a little miserable under his Trickster persona.

* Let us not forget [[SenseFreak Slaanesh]] from ''{{Warhammer}}'' and ''{{Warhammer 40000}}''. He- she? it?- is literally the manifestation of all the {{Squick}} in the universe, while his followers are to a psychopath in it either ForTheEvulz or because EvilFeelsGood. Lest we find the idea of a cult of hedonists even somewhat non-threatening, remember that this is 40K and their idea of a good time probably ''starts'' with "violate your intestines through your belly button" and just goes in whatever random direction they can find from there.

* In ''{{Planescape}}'', the Sensates are a faction dedicated to experiencing every sensation and act that they can. Many members take this as an excuse to become hedonists; they are looked down on for indulging one sensation--pleasure--to the exclusion of all others, and to blinding themselves to new experiences. There's even a place in Arborea where the Sensates dump these guys because they're considered such an embarrassment.

While usually PlayedForLaughs, this kind of character is sometimes played as a StrawmanPolitical against [[ForHappiness Ethical Hedonists]] or people with a [[EthicalSlut Hedonistic Lifestyle]]. Unlike these real hedonists, a childishly hedonistic character is not prone to consider other people’s happiness, or even his own long-term happiness: Instant gratification is gold. If it feels good right now, do it! Why waste time on thinking? Thinking isn’t fun! [[ManipulativeBastard Unless]] you are thinking about how to get what you want as quickly and effortlessly as possible, that is.

Compare ProtagonistCenteredMorality (for this trope played sympathetically) and [[JackChick Chick Tracts]] (for the strawman kind).

* Dionysus from GreekMythology was essentially the god of hedonism. Technically he was the god of wine, but he and his followers formed an entire religion that was basically a drinking contest. Being a Greek god, he was also a huge {{Jerkass}} to anyone who objected to his followers' debauchery -- one king who persecuted Dionysus' flock (whose own mother was a follower of Dionysus) was caught spying on them and was torn limb from limb while they were in the throes of madness. Even worse, ''his own mother'' stuck his head on a stick and didn't recognize him until it was too late. Dionysus' creed was basically "Eat, drink, and be merry -- or I'll kill you."

* [[SuzumiyaHaruhi Haruhi Suzumiya]]. Will do anything for her own amusement, to the point where she will use Mikuru as [[ChewToy her personal toy]].
* In an episode of ''TheSimpsons'' a self-help guru gets the entire town going on this motto -- specifically, acting like Bart. The whole thing falls apart at the festival celebrating this newfound freedom, the main catalyst being when a handyman decides he didn't "feel like" greasing the ferris wheel so it wouldn't fall off its hinges and go on a rampage.

* In ''{{Planescape}}'', the Sensates are a faction dedicated to experiencing every sensation and act that they can. Many members take this as an excuse to become hedonists; they are looked down on for indulging one sensation--pleasure--to the exclusion of all others, and to blinding themselves to new experiences. There's even a place in Arborea where the Sensates dump these guys because they're considered such an embarrassment.

* Fiyero in the musical ''{{Wicked}}'': "Nothing matters but knowing nothing matters... It's just life, so keep dancing through!"
* Ah yes, the mantra of TheSeventies--when drugs were everywhere and sex was a sport. It was a completely different world back then. The seventies section of ''ForrestGump'' is definitely a 90s movie version of the period.
* The original version of the movie ''{{Alfie}}''.
* You kind of get some sense of it from the movie ''TheBigChill'', but just a sense.
* Hedonism-bot of ''{{Futurama}}''. ''How hedonistic is he?'' He's so hedonistic, he has his solid gold body dipped in chocolate.
** How ''wonderfully'' decadent!
** Your tax dollars at work.
** And he apologizes for nothing!
* Maryann on ''TrueBlood''
* One key difference between Faith and {{Buffy}} was this. Faith lived life every second like she wanted to... and when accidents happened (like the murder of an innocent) that knocked Buffy for a loop, she merely "took care of the body" and went on as if nothing happened.
** Except she was obviously feeling guilty as hell. And while she clearly enjoyed being able to do what she wanted, when she wanted, what she truly desired was a life more like Buffy's and, if she couldn't have that, make Buffy become more like her to ease the jealousy.
** Early Faith is a Nietzschean, not a Hedonist. Being a Slayer (she thinks) means you are AboveGoodAndEvil and can do whatever you want. Saving x lives means you can kill any number of people less than x, since you will still be in the plus column.
* The color Red in ''[[MagicTheGathering Magic: The Gathering]]'' is this philosophy to its TabletopGame conclusion. It has cards that are awesomely damaging to the target...but tends to leave the caster wide open to counterattack (when the spells don't damage the caster, too). Red is passionate and powerful, but the [[PowerAtAPrice cost]] of that power is that it doesn't consider the effects and often harms itself. Compare with its allied colors Black, which ''knows'' the negative side effects ''and chooses them anyway'', and Green, which is just as primal and wild but is also devoted to the arts of healing. Contrast with opposing colors Blue, which is all about careful thought, and White, which is about order and control (of one's self and others).
** The (black) vampires on the plane of Zendikar are described as hedonistic. They are also, coincidentally, said to be the most advanced race on Zendikar.
* Let us not forget [[SenseFreak Slaanesh]] from ''{{Warhammer}}'' and ''{{Warhammer 40000}}''. He- she? it?- is literally the manifestation of all the {{Squick}} in the universe, while his followers are to a psychopath in it either ForTheEvulz or because EvilFeelsGood. Lest we find the idea of a cult of hedonists even somewhat non-threatening, remember that this is 40K and their idea of a good time probably ''starts'' with "violate your intestines through your belly button" and just goes in whatever random direction they can find from there.
* The ''BraveNewWorld'' ''lives'' by this philosophy. If nothing else works, you can take ''soma.''
* RealLife: Hugh Hefner, founder of [[PlayboyBunny Playboy]].

* Gauron from ''FullMetalPanic''. He does pretty much everything ForTheEvulz, because he gets off on it. Even Kalinin didn't expect Gauron to be such an extreme, insane, depraved pleasure seeker. One ironically humorous moment shows Kalinin thinking to himself that, no matter what, Gauron is a smart pro that would value his life above everything else and would never do stupid things for short term pleasure. And then... a short while later, Gauron is shown [[CombatSadomasochist getting off on his fight with Sousuke]], which culminates in him [[spoiler: attempting to commit a double suicide with Sousuke just for the pleasure of it]].
* Morinth of ''MassEffect 2'' is a killer afflicted with a condition that makes her kill those she has sex with, which has an addictive effect upon her. She's been spending centuries getting her kicks with either slaughter, music or drugs as well as evading [[spoiler:her mother Samara.]]

* Beezy on ''{{Jimmy Two-Shoes}}'' lives his life basically eating, sleeping, hanging out with Jimmy and dating [[CrazyAwesome Saffi]]. He seems to put his happiness first beyond anything. He's still one of the few decent people on the show.

* The future version of Castiel in Supernatural episode 'The End' - not a side of him I ever want to see again.
** Gabriel (also known as the Trickster) appears to be this, tormenting others for his entertainment, creating women out of thin air, gorging himself of chocolate and other desserts. Then of course it's revealed that, although he does enjoy it, he actually means some of the lessons he claims to be trying to teach and seems a little miserable under his Trickster persona.

* Timon and Pumbaa from ''TheLionKing''. The main conflict from their part of the story is Simba's conflict over whether to continue his carefree lifestyle with them or to stand up and retake his place as king from Scar.

* Despite creating the philosophical basis for hedonism, the real life Epicurus majorly averted this trope, while he believed that achieving pleasure and avoiding pain is the greatest goal in life, he also realized that a life of unlimited debauchery would cause more pain in the long-term than pleasure in the short-term (those triple bacon burgers may taste heavenly now, but would you really choose to endure a heart attack, a stroke, and shaving 10 years off your life for a bit of gluttony?). He instead lived a life of moderation and learning. The later Epicureans tend to forget this point.

[[{{Calvin And Hobbes}} http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/m749394768424.jpg]]

* JaneAusten's male [[ThePaolo Paolos]] usually fall under this, such as John Willoughby in ''SenseAndSensibility'' and Henry Crawford in ''MansfieldPark''.

* Despite creating the philosophical basis for hedonism, the real life Epicurus majorly averted this trope, while he believed that achieving pleasure and avoiding pain is the greatest goal in life, he also realized that a life of unlimited debauchery would cause more pain in the long-term than pleasure in the short-term. He instead lived a life of moderation and learning. The later Epicureans tend to forget this point.

* After only getting two or so scenes in ''KingdomHeartsII'', Demyx was somewhat fleshed out as this is ''[[KingdomHearts358DaysOver2 Days]]''. He's more interested in writing songs than following orders, and isn't above bribing Roxas to finish his missions for him.

* Timon and Pumbaa from ''TheLionKing''. The main conflict from their part of the story is Simba's conflict over whether to continue his carefree lifestyle with them or to stand up and retake his place as king from Scar.

* Giriko from ''SoulEater''. He drinks in every other chapter, he's lazy as sin, and he acts touchy-feely with the teenage girl he's attempting to massacre.

* The future version of Castiel in Supernatural episode 'The End' - not a side of him I ever want to see again.

* [[SuzumiyaHaruhi Haruhi Suzumiya]], full stop.