Quotation: 

“II. Ways in which a principle may be wrong. A principle may be different from that of utility in two ways: 1. By being constantly opposed to it: this is the case with a principle which may be termed the principle of asceticism. 2. By being sometimes opposed to it, and sometimes not, as it may happen: this is the case with another, which may be termed the principle of sympathy and antipathy.” page 12.

Comment: I had a really hard time with this reading… I didn’t really understand it at all. I have never read anything on this subject or anything that was written the way that it is so it was really hard for me to follow and comprehend. I chose this passage because this was one of the only things that I could partially comprehend. I looked up most of the terms in this passage so that I could get a better understanding of the concepts and ideas and look at them in my own perspective. I found that the principle of utility states that actions or behaviors are right as long as they promote happiness or pleasure and they are wrong as they tend to produce unhappiness or pain. Asceticism is a lifestyle of severe self-discipline in which you avoid all forms of indulgence, usually for religious or spiritual purposes. The principle of antipathy is the opposite of sympathy: It is a voluntary or involuntary dislike of something or someone. If you are opposed to a principle, it differs from utility, meaning that it does not make you happy. I’m confused as to how that relates to asceticism, because I feel as though many people practice asceticism because it brings them join, it lines up with utility. I understand how you can sometimes be opposed to sympathy or antipathy because sometimes it is an involuntary like or dislike, so you may not want to like or dislike whatever it is, but you still do, which can be frustrating. What came to mind for me for this concept is going to the zoo. Contemplating going to the zoo is so difficult for me because I would love to go and see all the animals and have fun, but the morals behind the zoo are so sad and unjust to me that I don’t think I should go, because I have sympathy for the animals but antipathy for the morals behind the zoo. This is frustrating to me because I don’t like that I don’t like the morals of it, but it is the right thing because animals in the zoo should not be kept in enclosures like they are and paying to go see it only profits the zoo and what they do. 

Question: What does asceticism have to with the first concept of “ways in which a principle may be wrong?” I’m confused about this.