Mindful
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Entire volumes are written on the pleasures of eating and drinking, sex, or meditation, but the pleasures of evacuation, though frequent and free, barely ever get a look in.
Entire volumes are written on the pleasures of eating and drinking, sex, or meditation, but the pleasures of evacuation, though frequent and free, barely ever get a look in.
Natural versus vain desires
The Ancient philosopher Epicurus recognized that pleasures generally arise from the satisfaction of desires, and distinguished between two different types of desire, ‘natural desires’ and ‘vain desires’. Natural desires can either be necessary, such as the desires for food and shelter, or unnecessary, such as the desires for luxury food and accommodation. Vain desires, such as the desires for fame, power, or wealth, differ from natural desires is that they are (1) inculcated by society, (2) not urgent, (3) not naturally limited, and (4) neither easy nor highly pleasurable to satisfy. To minimize the pain and anxiety of harbouring unfulfilled desires, one should submit to necessary natural desires while detaching oneself from unnecessary natural desires and entirely avoiding vain desires. In other words, if you want to be happier, stop being so ambitious and make more of your time on the toilet.
Moving versus static pleasures
Epicurus also distinguished between two different types of pleasure, ‘moving pleasures’ and ‘static pleasures’. Moving pleasures involve the satisfying of a desire, for example, eating a meal when hungry. Static pleasures on the other hand involve the state of comfort that arises from having had a desire satisfied, for example, feeling sated after having eaten the meal. Static pleasures are better than moving pleasures because they free us from the discomfort of need or want. Evacuation, like eating and sex, clearly leads to both types of pleasure; and though the static pleasure is the greater, the moving pleasure is the more intense, and the more neglected.
The physical pleasures of pooing
Defecation involves complex physical, physiological, and psychological processes. At a physical level, the colon propels stool into the rectum, leading to rectal distension and reflex relaxation of the internal anal sphincter. At this point, the urge to defecate leads to the voluntary relaxation of the external anal sphincter, with the stool expelled by peristaltic waves and the combined action of the pelvic floor muscles, abdominal wall, diaphragm, and expiratory chest muscles. The urge to defecate can be successfully resisted, with the stool returned into the rectum by reverse peristalsis. But repeated postponement leads to hardening of the stool and, eventually, constipation. Relaxation of the external anal sphincter is linked with relaxation of the urethral sphincter: once the feces have been extruded, urination signals that defecation is at an end. The act of defecation is intensely physical, and offers some of the same rewards, and risks, as exercise.
On the Pleasures of Evacuation
Entire volumes are written on the pleasures of eating and drinking, sex, or meditation, but the pleasures of evacuation, though frequent and free, barely ever get a look in.
Natural versus vain desires
The Ancient philosopher Epicurus recognized that pleasures generally arise from the satisfaction of desires, and distinguished between two different types of desire, ‘natural desires’ and ‘vain desires’. Natural desires can either be necessary, such as the desires for food and shelter, or unnecessary, such as the desires for luxury food and accommodation. Vain desires, such as the desires for fame, power, or wealth, differ from natural desires is that they are (1) inculcated by society, (2) not urgent, (3) not naturally limited, and (4) neither easy nor highly pleasurable to satisfy. To minimize the pain and anxiety of harbouring unfulfilled desires, one should submit to necessary natural desires while detaching oneself from unnecessary natural desires and entirely avoiding vain desires. In other words, if you want to be happier, stop being so ambitious and make more of your time on the toilet.
Moving versus static pleasures
Epicurus also distinguished between two different types of pleasure, ‘moving pleasures’ and ‘static pleasures’. Moving pleasures involve the satisfying of a desire, for example, eating a meal when hungry. Static pleasures on the other hand involve the state of comfort that arises from having had a desire satisfied, for example, feeling sated after having eaten the meal. Static pleasures are better than moving pleasures because they free us from the discomfort of need or want. Evacuation, like eating and sex, clearly leads to both types of pleasure; and though the static pleasure is the greater, the moving pleasure is the more intense, and the more neglected.
The physical pleasures of pooing
Defecation involves complex physical, physiological, and psychological processes. At a physical level, the colon propels stool into the rectum, leading to rectal distension and reflex relaxation of the internal anal sphincter. At this point, the urge to defecate leads to the voluntary relaxation of the external anal sphincter, with the stool expelled by peristaltic waves and the combined action of the pelvic floor muscles, abdominal wall, diaphragm, and expiratory chest muscles. The urge to defecate can be successfully resisted, with the stool returned into the rectum by reverse peristalsis. But repeated postponement leads to hardening of the stool and, eventually, constipation. Relaxation of the external anal sphincter is linked with relaxation of the urethral sphincter: once the feces have been extruded, urination signals that defecation is at an end. The act of defecation is intensely physical, and offers some of the same rewards, and risks, as exercise.
On the Pleasures of Evacuation
