A friend shared some wisdom with me last night: “When I indulge myself, good things happen.” I reflected deeply on this as I feel I haven’t indulged my intellectual curiosity in a big way for a long time. A hypothesis and possible explanation for the aphorism, informed by stoicism:

  • A felt sense of “indulgence” might be how my subconscious indicates actions with a positive outcome, or high exploration value. If I indulge myself and good things don’t happen (as my subconscious is an imperfect judge), I’ll probably recalibrate and do something else! But if I never indulge myself, I’m probably throwing away useful information.
  • Whether or not things that feel indulgent are truly “good” for me, feeling good sufficiently often is an essential part of a positive homeostatic process. Non-depression is its own reward! I don’t have to always rationalize seeking pleasure.
  • Doing things that feel good (and aren’t destructive) can create a self-sustaining feedback loop. If I feel stagnant, indulging myself might provide the free energy I need to break the current cycle and start another! Indulgence can be a useful, powerful mechanism for change.