Finally, I designate enjoyment as our fourth basal Self-Need. I have already discussed our basal needs for safety/security, worth, and empowerment. Now I address the Enjoyment Need, and its relationship to the different forms of pleasure. I previously addressed the concepts of will-to-meaning and will-to-power, but we humans also have an innate will-to-pleasure. Sigmund Freud used the term “pleasure principle,” where he maintained that joie de vivre is one of the key forces that direct human behavior. I contend that for some individuals delectation is their only directing force. E. V. Stein refers to the narcissistic person and “his worldview is ‘anything for my pleasure,’ and if he is sadistic he may add ‘even hurting another for my pleasure.'” (1965) Baruch Spinoza used the phrase “psychological hedonism,” where humans have their main goal to bring pleasure and happiness to life, and to avoid pain. However, I suggest in my writings that it is difficult to build a meaningful worldview and philosophy that is only aimed solely at one’s personal pleasure.
