Many people have falsely concluded that the purpose of life is to have as much fun as possible. Such individuals fervently spend their time and money on it pursuit. The media bombards us with advertisements alerting us to ever increasing methods of enhancing our pleasure. There seems no end to the ways people can entertain themselves.
Yet this driving force of the pursuit of happiness has exerted dire consequences. People are abandoning their marriages, and their families, in their quest for pleasure. Such a mindset encourages a rabid self-centeredness that justifies any amount of pain inflicted upon others in an effort to increase our own happiness. This attitude justifies any behavior, no matter how outlandish or foolish, if it makes us happy.
The writer of Ecclesiastes soon realized that living a life pursuing pleasure is vanity. It leads to nothing but regret. Looking back over a life invested in the pursuit of pleasure is a hollow and unsatisfying experience. It is living life at its most shallow level. It is selfishness at the extreme. Such living makes no solid contribution to humanity. The death of such people leaves no one with regret or loss. Though the pursuit of pleasure can appear infinitely appealing, it inevitably leads to loss and disappointment. The wise person soon recognizes this truth.