The "H" word "Hedonist"

[iconic]

My first encounter with the word "hedonist" was when my female cruisemate at the Carnival casino pulled me aside - after she helped me lose some of my vacation money - not unusual since I am an amateur gambler. She led me to a quiet area and as she pointed at a couple - the same couple we had been chatting with a few minutes earlier, she said,"Stay away from them. They're going to a hedonist resort and they're looking for another coupleoin them." As I looked at her with that "what do you mean inquiring facial expression, she explained to me what a hedonist resort was and that there was one in Jamaica. Well, we avoided the couple, the hedonist resort and went to Dunns river instead where I scampered or rather slipped on the water slick rocks. But the reason I bring up this story is that I was appaled when I used the word in a coversation recently with a man in his twenties and and another man in his sixties. Neither had ever heard the word nor knew its definition. The point is that on a cruise you do learn from the people you meet.

P.S. I am always fascinated by how women can worm information out of men.

[green_rd]

Hedonism is a school of thought which argues that pleasure is the only intrinsic good. In very simple terms, a hedonist strives to maximize net pleasure (pleasure minus pain).

I guess it all depends on how you choose to maximize your pleasure. Most events at a so called hedonist resort would not increase my pleasure.

[Lakers Fan]

The H word to me is HENRY43

[MercedMike]

Wikipedia says "Hedonism II is a vacation resort in Jamaica, ...The resort has areas reserved for naturism/nudism and it is known for liberal sexual, drug, and alcohol attitudes."

However, the word "hedonist" is a perfectly good word and does not wholly imply a lifestyle such as described above. A good definition of hedonism is:

1) Philos. the ethical doctrine that pleasure, variously conceived of in terms of happiness of the individual or of society, is the principal good and the proper aim of action
2) Psychol. the theory that a person always acts in such a way as to seek pleasure and avoid pain
3) the self-indulgent pursuit of pleasure as a way of life

The Hedonism Resort seems to grab definition 3 above, and therefore is perhaps giving hedonists a bad name (or good name, depending on your viewpoint) which is not entirely deserved.

In fact reading the topic of this thread I figured that most cruisers are hedonists since we are looking for a trip where we are pampered, relax, can indulge in fine eating, and enjoy the Thermal Suite! That is the pursuit of pleasure! Now THAT is hedonism for me!