“What is food to one, is to others bitter poison.”Lucretius · Despre natura lucrurilor · -55 · Cartea 4, versul 637
Pleasure and pain are subjective experiences, determined by each individual's unique physical and psychological constitution.
Lucretius, an Epicurean poet and philosopher, highlights the relativity of pleasure and pain. What is beneficial or pleasant for one individual can be harmful or unpleasant for another, depending on nature, upbringing, or context. For example, one person's favorite music can be torture for another. The mechanism is biological and psychological: each person has a unique constitution and personal associations that color experiences.
Why it matters In daily life, this idea teaches you not to judge others' preferences and to be tolerant of differences.