Another
consequence of valuing one's happiness and tranquility so highly is
that a person will be very motivated to lead a peaceful life
complimented with many good friends and as few enemies as possible.
After all, fighting brings pain instead of pleasure. Worrying about
enemies causes stress while the company of good friends brings
considerable pleasure. Cultivating good friends, of course,
requires that a person be honest, compassionate, and empathetic.
On
this view, Epicurus’s hedonism is a sophisticated moral theory.
In requiring a life of simplicity and nonviolence where
extinguishing one's desires was a virtue, hedonism is similar to
other important philosophies. These core values are strikingly
similar to those modeled by Jesus and The Buddha and the religious
systems founded on their lives.