Pleasure is a false God

Sci Fight: Science/Comedy Debates

Sci Fight is a quarterly science comedy debate, with your definitely qualified host, Alanta Colley (citation needed). Sci Fight brings together science folk and comedy folk, and makes them debate the big issues in a silly way.

This round we turn to pleasure. Finally! What is it? Where does it come from, and can I have some please? Pleasure is part of our biological make-up; evolution's way of prodding us to consume calories, procreate, and not freeze to death, so surely seeking pleasure is only natural? If nothing else, pleasure is a small compensation for all the suffering we endure simply by being trapped in these ridiculous meat vehicles, what with all their tooth decay, ear ache, period pain, and haemorrhoids. Can we not have a little dopamine as a treat? Why not steer our ship of purpose towards the cape of pleasure?

Or is pleasure a false god? Simply a smoke screen for more pain? Was it pleasure that led to the tooth decay in the first place? Is pleasure only ever a short term reward, where the deeper satisfactions born from hardship, suffering and sacrifice? One can't imagine Marie Curie bunking off early from the lab for a cheeky pint and a parma. Does the pursuit of pleasure prevent us achieving all that we are fully capable of as a species?

What ever happened to those kids in the marshmallow test? Are some of them still waiting?

Join us at the Howler for an evening of passionate and pleasurable discourse as scientists and comedians dissect our purpose, our passions and our pitfalls.

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