No Pain, No Gain

In Gorgias, Socrates argues with Calicles about which is better, pain or pleasure. (I always mispronounce Calicles’s name, calling him Caligula, the infamous Roman emperor, perhaps because Caligula lived out the life Calicles argued in favor of.) Calicles argues that pleasure is the most desirable state, and that we spend all our energy trying to get out of pain of any kind and have a life of complete pleasure. He is so convinced of this that he insists that Socrates is simply lying, and would seek pleasure if he only had the courage.

You’ve probably seen the Calicles type. He’s the one in the line at the all-you-can-eat buffet with two plates, each piled so high that those around him watch warily. 

We all know the adage, “No pain, no gain.” Along with Socrates, we know that avoiding pain has consequences. 

Those consequences can have to do with running, for instance when preparing for a race. Put in enough miles in the weeks leading up to the race and you may find yourself waking up sore and stiff every morning. Don’t put in enough miles and you might “hit the wall,” and not finish the race. Those consequences can have to do with school or life: We all know how painful reading a boring textbook can be. Yet, don’t read it and experience another pain, the pain of a grade you didn’t want to see.