Moral Superiority - Essay Example

According to the Epicureans' claim, a pleasurable life is a life that is based on good deeds and thoughts. It's life that conforms to all that is moral and avoids all that is considered wrong in the eyes of the majority. The theory claims that for one to lead a pleasurable life, they have to avoid pegging their lives on physical things such as sex, money, and drinks and instead focus on achieving inner tranquility through being contented with simple things. Burney, a drunken stumble-bum from the Simpsons wouldn't fit the good and moral life definition.

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Morality entails having socially acceptable behaviors that are based on what many people think is right. A morally upright person is expected to depict a character and sense of responsibility not only to self but also to others. Most individuals who adhere to the general definition of morality to the latter believe that it acts as a source of a life that is meaningful and respectable. Individuals who engage in drinking or sexual behaviors are usually considered to be going against the socially accepted code and conduct of a moral person and thus considered immoral. On the other hand, a person like Mother Theresa, who sacrificed her happiness to make others happy and always lacked for others to have was considered to have met all the set standards of morality. She was regarded as an example to others, and her life was found to be more pleasurable than that of those who only thought of themselves and rarely helped others.

Maintaining friendships and working towards having good and happy relationships agrees with the theory of the Epicureans. Those who believe in morality and practice it argue that relationships are often superior to physical and material possessions such as money. The argument is that real happiness emanates from the heart and not from tangible belongings and that it is better to be poor and be happy rather than be wealthy and miserable. Happiness, to such people, defines what a pleasurable life is. Mother Theresa did not have physical possessions but only love to give out. By doing so, she was perceived as a very happy person.

On the contrary, some people may define pleasurable life as a life where one has access to everything physical that they may wish to have. This would mainly involve money, and all that comes with it. These people believe that happiness has a price tag and tend to use the money to create that sense of happiness. Such people indulge in drinking alcohol and engaging in sexual behaviors that fall squarely against moral teachings. They believe that pleasure is more of an outward thing than inward. Their satisfaction stems from a lifestyle that is based on self-praise and glamor. Many people do not consider their lives to be morally upright but agree that they derive a lot of pleasure by how they live it. Barney serves as an example of such people.

Moral superiority would then be explained by the Epicurean theory to be that of self-discipline and selflessness. This would thus define the life of Barney to be less superior to that of Mother Theresa and hence less pleasurable as it is based on self-satisfaction compared to that of being compassionate to the less fortunate in the society.