Sex offers a powerful experience, wired into us by evolution. It isn’t just a physical act; it’s a phenomenal pleasure and a profound psychological reward that delivers a sense of efficacy and mastery—a clear reminder of life’s potential for joy. It is a genuine expression of our values, standing as the ultimate reward, and yes, it is inherently good for its own sake. But like any other of the pleasures that Nathaniel Branden and Ayn Rand talked about, sex can be weaponized as an evasion. Individuals may seize upon sex to avoid their core values, bypass tough life problems, or deliberately dull their consciousness, diverting attention from necessary work. Pleasure, in this context, is abused, controlled by the nature of the values you choose to maintain. The big takeaway is: pleasure itself is good, but the type of pleasure you experience comes from your values. And if the pleasure you experience comes from things that are destructive of your life, it’s time for you to do a gut check. Check your premises, identify the values that are fueling that self-destructive path, and begin the necessary work of change. It is within your power to change those values and ultimately to change your sense of life and your orientation to life. This is a clip from Self-Made Soul hosted by Mark Pellegrino and Michael Liebowitz. Subscribe to Mark Pellegrino’s Patreon for regular deep dives into philosophy, psychology, and critical thought! https://www.patreon.com/c/markpellegrino/membership
