All you have to do lately is check out the daily news to read plenty about the negative consequences of pleasure without conscience--the exploits of Lindsay Lohan, the affairs of Tiger Woods, and now the Penn State scandal is an extremely tragic example.
I think that most of us are guilty of exhibiting pleasure without conscience at certain times in our lives. When we're younger, we fall into the "grass is greener" trap more easily. Younger people are often more self-absorbed and have more feelings of entitlement, which causes them to rationalize their actions and shirk responsibilities. For example, I can think of plenty of times when I was younger, had too much to drink, and then drove home--sometimes even with passengers in my car. As we mature, most of us think more about the consequences of our actions. Thank God!
When I think about what keeps me on track and out of the pleasure-without-conscience trap, I consider the qualities of gratitude, long-term thinking, and humility. When I recognize the things I'm grateful for in my life, I think less about what I don't have and I won't fall into the "charge it and worry about paying for it later" mode of thinking. When I concentrate on seeing the big, long-term picture, I can stop myself before taking an action and ask if it will get me closer to what I REALLY want in life or if it's just satisfying a need for instantaneous gratification. My mother used to say that if you wouldn't want everyone to know about what your're thinking of doing, it's probably not a wise course of action to take. And finally, if I practice humility I can put myself into the shoes of others and be less selfish. Important to remember, though, is one of my favorite quotes: "Humility is a funny thing. Once you believe you're humble, it's gone." So true!
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