Philosophy:
The Love of Wisdom

We're not great ones for high-faluting philosophy but we do like our Epicurus. The following is taken from The Consolations of Philosophy by Alain de Botton:

'I don't know how I shall conceive of the good, if I take away the pleasures of taste, if I take away sexual pleasure, if I take away the pleasure of hearing and if I take away the sweet emotions that are caused by the sight of beautiful forms.'

'Pleasure is the beginning and the goal of a happy life,' asserted Epicurus, confirming what many had long thought but philosophy had rarely accepted. The philosopher confessed his love for excellent food: ' The beginning and root of every good is the pleasure of the stomach. Even wisdom and culture can be referred to this.'
Philosophy, properly performed was to be nothing less than a guide to pleasure: 'The man who alleges that he is not yet ready for philosophy or that time for it has passed him by, is like a man who says that he is either too young or too old for happiness'.

Those who heard the rumours [about the lifestyle of Epicurus] must have been surprised to discover the real tastes of the philosopher of pleasure. There was no grand house. The food was simple, Epicurus drank water rather than wine and was happy with a dinner of bread, vegetables and a palmfull of olives. 'Send me a pot of cheese, so that I may have a feast whenever I like,' he asked a friend. Such were the tastes of a man who had described pleasure as the purpose of life.

He had not meant to deceive. His devotion to pleasure was far greater than even the orgy accusers could have imagined. It was just that, after rational analysis, he had come to some striking conclusions about what actually made life pleasurable - and fortunately for those lacking a large income, it seemed that the essential ingredients of pleasure, however elusive, were not very expensive.

Happiness, an Epicurean Wish List
1. A Home
2. Friends
3. Freedom from superiors, infighting and competition
4. Thought
Alain de Botton - The Consolations of Philosophy
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Smiley Zippies dig Epicurus but we're not saying throw the baby out with the bath-water. You don't have to throw out your playstation or hi-fi to live simply but just think about the things you buy: if it adds beauty, utility or fun to your life then buy it. Otherwise it's useless dross.
To complete Epicurus's wishlist we would add:
5. Art and Creativity
6. Love

Here a loaf of bread beneath the bough,
A flask of wine, a book of verse and Thou
Beside me singing in the wilderness
And wilderness is paradise enow.
Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam (XI)

Links:
The Philosophy Garden
Ecotopia

Books:

The Consolations of Philosophy
Alain de Botton

amazon.co.uk
amazon.com

The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam

amazon.co.uk
amazon.com

The Spiritual Teachings of Marcus Aurelius

amazon.co.uk
amazon.com

The Art of Living - Epictetus

amazon.co.uk
amazon.com

A Guide to Rational Living
Albert Ellis

amazon.co.uk
amazon.com