It is a hard psychological fact that the desire for pleasure is the ultimate factor in most of human decision-making. But as dominant as the pleasure principle has been in the cultural development of mankind, its impact has so far never been fully acknowledged. In the hands of a powerful minority that controls global capital flows, pleasure has been turned into the most profitable item for sale, preying on the consumerist desires it helped to create. Re-evaluating the very notion of 'pleasure' and assessing its often sinister influence on the course of our civilization, The Pursuit of Pleasure unveils how the determinants of human behavior are now in the hands of global marketers whose sole aim is the maximization of profit, not the personal development of their customers. This powerful book shows how the overcoming of the pleasure principle through the management of pleasure can be the foundation of a new humanist culture in which people are conscious and aware of their choices.