This quote suggests that a Puritan, or anyone with a strict moral or religious code, may feel guilty about enjoying pleasures for their own sake. To alleviate this guilt, they might reframe these pleasures as duties or responsibilities. This could mean turning a simple joy into something more serious and less enjoyable.
For example, someone might love reading novels but feel it’s an indulgent waste of time. So they decide to study literature professionally or start a book review blog. Now they’re not just reading for pleasure; it’s also work. They’ve turned their pleasure into duty.
However, the downside is that the initial joy can be lost in this process – hence the phrase “sours his pleasures.” What was once purely enjoyable becomes tinged with obligation and pressure.
In today’s world, we often see this phenomenon in our careers. Many people turn their hobbies into businesses because they believe it will make work more enjoyable if it involves something they love doing in their free time. However, once the hobby becomes monetized and associated with livelihood and survival (i.e., duties), the inherent pleasure can be diminished.
In terms of personal development, understanding this dynamic is crucial when we aim to balance our lives between duty and enjoyment. It helps us realize that sometimes it’s okay to enjoy something without any purpose beyond pure enjoyment – not everything needs to be productive or serve some higher purpose.
It also serves as a reminder that while discipline and responsibility are important aspects of life, so too is maintaining space for uncomplicated joy – activities done purely for fun rather than obligation or improvement – which contributes significantly to overall mental health and happiness.
