(1) In the first place, the mere fact of yielding to
an impulse, of whatever sort, brings a relief from craving, and a
momentary satisfaction. Just to do what we wish to do is, negatively
at least, a good; and in so far every act desired is really desirable.
An ideal which crosses inclination must have this initial price debited
against it. At times the restlessness of pent-up longing is so great
that it pays to gratify it even at some cost of pain or loss. But in
general, desire can be modified to fit need; and rational ideals rather
than silly wishes must guide us. It is dangerous to lay much stress
on the urgency of desire, and almost always possible with a little
firmness to hush the blind yearning and replace it with more ultimately
satisfying desires.
(2) Normally, however, our desires represent real goods, which must
bulk much larger in our calculation than the mere relief of yielding
to the impulse. Not only is it ipso facto good to have what we want,
but what we want is usually something that can directly or indirectly
give us pleasure. The pleasure, then, to be attained through following
this or that impulse is to be estimated, both in its intensity and
its duration. The certainty or uncertainty of its attainment may also
legitimately be considered. And this pleasure, though it is but one
phase of the total situation, must be taken seriously into account
in our appraisal of ideals which permit or forbid it.
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