He·don·ism; /ˈhēdəˌnizəm,ˈhedənˌizəm/; noun. The ethical theory that pleasure (in the sense of the satisfaction of desires) is the highest good and proper aim of human life.

Everybody wants to be happy in life. They want to be successful -- they have desires, goals and dreams to aspire to. Self-interest is normal, it's human, but at what point do goals regress into dreams which then regress into desires? When do desires manifest and become one of the seven deadly sins that takes over your life? Self-interest is one thing, but I believe our generation is being consumed by a life built on indulgence, which can only be defined by one thing.

There are quite a few interpretations of the idea of hedonism, but the main idea is that someone who practices such an ideal puts pleasure above all else, it being their highest aim in life. They revolve their life around making sure that every decision that they make is one that will bring them the most happiness. From what I've gathered in my life experiences, I've discovered that more and more people are beginning to act in such a manner, often throwing caution to the wind. They make somewhat impulsive decisions and trade prudence for instant gratification.

Before I begin to sound like a hypocrite, I believe there should always be room for indulgence in this world. After all, what would life be without its spontaneous moments of pleasure (or pain). However, I think that people have taken this idea of indulgence and turned into a lifestyle, in which it is no longer precious, but rather becomes a dangerous habit that proves hard to quit. You can attribute hedonism to almost any aspect of life -- health, wealth, love -- but where exactly is the line drawn between hedonism and self-interest? Are they an alcoholic or just unwinding? Nymphomaniac or just satisfying carnal needs? Aren't these things really just a series of engorged indulgences meant for someone to be able to overdose on instantaneous pleasure?

I think the argument could be made that if those things were to be categorized as hedonistic then they would also be inherently selfish since they put your happiness as the ultimate objective. This brings me to the main point of my article: the fact that hedonism creates a negative impact on the world.

So why do people partake? I know most, including myself, tend to operate in their own self-interest, but then they often also believe in doing something to improve the world around them. Why do some feel they owe anything to the world for living in it, while others don't? I could ask question after question, none of which can be definitively answered; but, as a human being, I feel an obligation to this planet to somehow make a positive impact sometime before I leave it. It's hard for me to think of a logical devil's advocate, but maybe it's also difficult for me to imagine someone so consumed with the need for happiness in its purest and most fleeting form that they're consumed by their own desire. If you pinpointed their behavior to something physical and specific, it would be labeled an addiction, and that person would be treated for it. But, instead it's a way of life -- gluttony by indulgence is now a lifestyle choice.

It would make me less concerned for the fate of humanity if the choices of these hedonists affected nothing and no one, but the reality is that every choice you make affects something or someone in some way, no matter how small. And because the choices that they make are inherently selfish, hedonism takes the form of a dangerous virus that spreads through society like wildfire.

My intention for this article was never to express that there can and should only be one worldview, as everyone is entitled to their own thinking on what their purpose in life may be, but I think a viral ideal like hedonism is catastrophic to the advancement of society. Striving to make the world a better place than when you left it is the only thing that allows humanity to improve.