Study Edition · Essay 61
On Knowing what Gives us Pleasure
Source: From The Note-Books of Samuel Butler, selected and edited by Henry Festing Jones (1912). Text from Project Gutenberg #6173. Complete (all three numbered notes under this heading). Archaic verb forms modernized; vocabulary kept and glossed.
Samuel Butler, author of the satirical novel Erewhon and the posthumous The Way of All Flesh, filled notebooks for decades with sharp little reflections. This one argues something that sounds obvious but is not: that finding out what you really enjoy is difficult and is “the highest and the most neglected of all arts.” Most people, he says, simply adopt their likes from others and pretend to enjoy what they are supposed to enjoy. Enjoy the dry wit, the paradoxes and the two tiny notes at the end, which turn the big theory into a joke about concerts.
28 sentences: 5 simple, 13 moderate, 10 complex. Hover a number for its paraphrase; click it for the full note.
Key Vocabulary
- reproachblame; criticism
- inceptionthe beginning of something
- modus operandimethod of working (Latin)
- ventureto dare to go somewhere risky
- phenomenaobservable facts or signs (plural of phenomenon)
- alleviateto make less severe
- languidweak; lacking energy
- effectuallyeffectively
- flogto beat with a whip or stick
- discontenteddissatisfied
- proficiencyskill; expertise
- provisionallyfor the time being; until decided
- treatya formal agreement
- advertisementa public notice promoting a product
The Essay
i
One can bring no greater reproach against a man than to say that he does not set sufficient value upon pleasure, and there is no greater sign of a fool than the thinking that he can tell at once and easily what it is that pleases him.1 To know this is not easy, and how to extend our knowledge of it is the highest and the most neglected of all arts and branches of education.2 Indeed, if we could solve the difficulty of knowing what gives us pleasure, if we could find its springs, its inception and earliest modus operandi, we should have discovered the secret of life and development, for the same difficulty has attended the development of every sense from touch onwards, and no new sense was ever developed without pains.3 A man had better stick to known and proved pleasures, but, if he will venture in quest of new ones, he should not do so with a light heart.4
One reason why we find it so hard to know our own likings is because we are so little accustomed to try; we have our likings found for us in respect of by far the greater number of the matters that concern us; thus we have grown all our limbs on the strength of the likings of our ancestors and adopt these without question.5
Another reason is that, except in mere matters of eating and drinking, people do not realise the importance of finding out what it is that gives them pleasure if, that is to say, they would make themselves as comfortable here as they reasonably can.6 Very few, however, seem to care greatly whether they are comfortable or no.7 There are some men so ignorant and careless of what gives them pleasure that they cannot be said ever to have been really born as living beings at all.8 They present some of the phenomena of having been born, they reproduce, in fact, so many of the ideas which we associate with having been born that it is hard not to think of them as living beings, but in spite of all appearances the central idea is wanting.9 At least one half of the misery which meets us daily might be removed or, at any rate, greatly alleviated, if those who suffer by it would think it worth their while to be at any pains to get rid of it.10 That they do not so think is proof that they neither know, nor care to know, more than in a very languid way, what it is that will relieve them most effectually or, in other words, that the shoe does not really pinch them so hard as we think it does.11 For when it really pinches, as when a man is being flogged, he will seek relief by any means in his power.12 So my great namesake said, “Surely the pleasure is as great / Of being cheated as to cheat”; and so, again, I remember to have seen a poem many years ago in Punch according to which a certain young lady, being discontented at home, went out into the world in quest to “Some burden make or burden bear, / But which she did not greatly care, / Oh Miseree!”13 So long as there was discomfort somewhere it was all right.14
To those, however, who are desirous of knowing what gives them pleasure but do not quite know how to set about it I have no better advice to give than that they must take the same pains about acquiring this difficult art as about any other, and must acquire it in the same way, that is by attending to one thing at a time and not being in too great a hurry.15 Proficiency is not to be attained here, any more than elsewhere, by short cuts or by getting other people to do work that no other than oneself can do.16 Above all things it is necessary here, as in all other branches of study, not to think we know a thing before we do know it, to make sure of our ground and be quite certain that we really do like a thing before we say we do.17 When you cannot decide whether you like a thing or not, nothing is easier than to say so and to hang it up among the uncertainties.18 Or when you know you do not know and are in such doubt as to see no chance of deciding, then you may take one side or the other provisionally and throw yourself into it.19 This will sometimes make you uncomfortable, and you will feel you have taken the wrong side and thus learn that the other was the right one.20 Sometimes you will feel you have done right.21 Any way ere long you will know more about it.22 But there must have been a secret treaty with yourself to the effect that the decision was provisional only.23 For, after all, the most important first principle in this matter is the not lightly thinking you know what you like till you have made sure of your ground.24 I was nearly forty before I felt how stupid it was to pretend to know things that I did not know and I still often catch myself doing so.25 Not one of my school-masters taught me this, but altogether otherwise.26
ii
I should like to like Schumann's music better than I do; I dare say I could make myself like it better if I tried; but I do not like having to try to make myself like things; I like things that make me like them at once and no trying at all.27
iii
To know whether you are enjoying a piece of music or not you must see whether you find yourself looking at the advertisements of Pear's soap at the end of the programme.28
Sentence Notes
In plain English: There's no worse criticism of a person than to say he doesn't value pleasure enough, and no surer sign of a fool than thinking he can tell instantly and easily what pleases him.
Why this phrase is worth keeping: A double paradox to open with: pleasure deserves serious respect, and knowing your own pleasures is hard.
In plain English: It isn't easy to know, and learning how to know it better is the highest and most neglected of all skills and subjects of education.
In plain English: In fact, if we could solve the problem of knowing what gives us pleasure, if we could find where it comes from, how it starts and how it first works, we would have found the secret of life and growth. The same difficulty has come with the development of every sense, starting with touch, and no new sense was ever developed without effort.
Why this phrase is worth keeping: A pun: “pains” means both effort and suffering, the opposite of pleasure.
Reference & context: Butler was fascinated by evolution and wrote several books arguing with Darwin. Here he imagines the senses evolving through creatures learning what they like.
In plain English: It's best to stick to pleasures you know and have tested, but if you insist on going in search of new ones, don't do it carelessly.
In plain English: One reason it's so hard to know what we like is that we so rarely try. For most of the things that concern us, our likes are chosen for us. In the same way, we have grown all our body parts because of what our ancestors liked, and we accept these without question.
Why this phrase is worth keeping: A startling leap: our arms and legs are the inherited preferences of our ancestors.
Reference & context: Butler believed in an inherited, unconscious “memory” passed down through generations (Life and Habit, 1878); here he applies the idea to taste.
In plain English: Another reason is that, apart from food and drink, people don't realize how important it is to find out what gives them pleasure, if, that is, they want to make themselves as comfortable in this life as they reasonably can.
In plain English: But very few people seem to care much whether they are comfortable or not.
In plain English: Some people are so ignorant of, and careless about, what gives them pleasure that you can't really say they were ever born as living beings at all.
In plain English: They show some signs of having been born; in fact they display so many of the features we connect with being born that it's hard not to think of them as alive. But despite appearances, the central thing is missing.
Why this phrase is worth keeping: Mock-scientific language turns a joke about dull people into something unsettling.
In plain English: At least half the misery we see every day could be removed, or at least greatly eased, if the people suffering from it thought it worth making any effort to get rid of it.
In plain English: The fact that they don't think so proves that they don't know, and only half-heartedly care to know, what would help them most; in other words, that their shoe doesn't really pinch as badly as we imagine.
Reference & context: “Only the wearer knows where the shoe pinches” is an old proverb.
In plain English: Because when it really hurts, as when someone is being whipped, he will look for relief by any means he can.
In plain English: As my great namesake wrote, “Surely the pleasure is as great of being cheated as to cheat.” And I remember a poem in Punch years ago about a young lady who, unhappy at home, went out into the world looking to “make some burden, or bear some burden, but she didn't much care which: oh, misery!”
Reference & context: His “great namesake” is the earlier Samuel Butler (1613–1680), author of the satirical poem Hudibras, which reads “Doubtless the pleasure is as great / Of being cheated, as to cheat” (Part II, canto 3). Punch was the leading Victorian comic magazine.
In plain English: As long as there was some unhappiness somewhere, she was satisfied.
Why this phrase is worth keeping: A deadpan punchline about people who seem to need something to suffer from.
In plain English: For those who do want to know what gives them pleasure but aren't sure how to start, my best advice is to work at this difficult skill as hard as at any other, and to learn it the same way: by focusing on one thing at a time and not rushing.
In plain English: You can't get good at it, any more than at anything else, by taking shortcuts or by getting other people to do work that only you can do.
In plain English: Above all, here as in every other subject, we must not think we know something before we really know it; we must be sure of our ground and quite certain that we really like a thing before we say we do.
Why this phrase is worth keeping: The essay's key rule, which is also a good rule for all learning.
In plain English: When you can't decide whether you like something, the easiest thing is to say so and file it under “not sure.”
In plain English: Or, when you know you don't know and are so unsure that you see no way of deciding, you can pick one side for the time being and commit to it.
In plain English: Sometimes that will make you uncomfortable, and you'll feel you chose wrong, which teaches you that the other side was right.
In plain English: Sometimes you'll feel you chose well.
In plain English: Either way, before long you'll know more about it.
Reference & context: “Ere long” (old): before long.
In plain English: But you must have made a private agreement with yourself that the decision was only temporary.
Why this phrase is worth keeping: The comic image of a diplomatic treaty signed with oneself.
In plain English: After all, the most important basic rule here is not to assume casually that you know what you like until you're sure.
In plain English: I was almost forty before I realized how stupid it was to pretend to know things I didn't, and I still often catch myself doing it.
Why this phrase is worth keeping: Butler includes himself in the criticism, which makes the advice easier to accept.
In plain English: Not one of my schoolteachers taught me this; they taught me the exact opposite.
Reference & context: Butler hated his strict upbringing and his schooling at Shrewsbury, and satirized both in The Way of All Flesh.
In plain English: I wish I liked Schumann's music more than I do. I suppose I could make myself like it more if I tried, but I don't like having to try to like things. I like things that make me like them immediately, with no effort at all.
Why this phrase is worth keeping: The word “like” is juggled six times, playfully showing how tangled our likings are.
Reference & context: Robert Schumann (1810–1856), German Romantic composer. Butler's own musical hero was Handel, and he composed music in Handel's style.
In plain English: To tell whether you're enjoying a piece of music, check whether you catch yourself reading the Pears' soap ads at the back of the concert programme.
Why this phrase is worth keeping: The grand theory of pleasure ends with a perfectly practical, funny test: boredom shows itself in what your eyes wander to.
Reference & context: Pears' soap advertised everywhere in Victorian Britain and was famous for its pioneering ad campaigns. Butler writes “Pear's.”
Fun Fact
Butler's best-known novel, The Way of All Flesh, savagely mocks Victorian family life and was based closely on his own parents. He was afraid to publish it while they and other relatives were alive, so it appeared only in 1903, a year after his own death, and became a major influence on writers such as George Bernard Shaw and Virginia Woolf.