Pleasure is So Back
We are back, baby.
And it never really left.
Hello, Pleasure-seekers, new and old. If you’ve been following for a while, you know that I started The Pleasure Lists last year as a way to connect with other hedonists in search of the daily pleasures that stir us in some way.
If you’re new, The Pleasure Lists was started from Bertolt Brecht's poem, Pleasures, using it as a prompt for people to document and submit lists of their own. You can read more about the project here.
After a hiatus during which I attended to many pleasure-seeking activities, I am back to bring you the most pleasurable highlights from my brief interlude.
This week, I received a submission to the Pleasure Lists account that came with a brief, yet important note: “inspired by Jenny Holzer’s Inflammatory Essays,” which prompted a journey down the rabbit hole of research. I wasn’t familiar with these particular essays previously, but I quickly found myself tab-deep, immersed in Holzer’s work. It continues to amaze me how creative and artistic the Pleasure List community is — submissions such as these are generative wellsprings of knowledge. A reminder that each list teaches us something — whether it’s about ourselves, art, or humanity.
More on Jenny Holzer’s work from the Tate website:
The Inflammatory Essays present a range of provocative statements which were inspired by the texts of political theorists, religious fanatics and impassioned 'folk' literature. Since childhood, Holzer has been interested in 'rapturous writing' and wanted to write 'ecstatic, fantastic things'.
Each essay has exactly 100 words in twenty lines, and Holzer uses this rigid format to explore a range of extreme ideas. She questions the viewer's response by setting fanatical statements against the certainties of common opinion. Originally the Essays were fly-posted across New York City.
Some other highlights from the Pleasure Lists Instagram that you may have missed:
I hope you feel inspired you to write a list of your own.
Why submit a list?
Pleasure Lists are a summary of what you need, want, or have, or see at a particular moment in time. They are a survey, an overview, a summary of the crucial facts of the state of one aspect of your life. It’s a kind of blueprint that can be a guide to the future.
Mull it over and if you’re moved to, send me a list.
Questions? Comments? Please send any recommendations or suggestions for what you’d like to see in these newsletters my way. I’d love to hear more about what you’re currently finding pleasure in.
Future posts may include Q&A's with pleasure-seekers, things that have brought me pleasure, and other deep-dives into pleasurable research.
Join the chat below to connect with other members of the Pleasure List community:
Please share this newsletter! The Pleasure Lists is meant to be a collaborative project that calls people from all over to write, read, and share their pleasures — a global community of artists, writers, and pondering minds alike.
Wow, what a fantastic way to weave pleasure into a day! Pleasure is kinda my jam, but I'd never thought to put it into a list. I love how playful and open of a prompt this is. So glad I found you