Bentham’s assertion that something is only for the interest of an individual if it “adds to the sum total of his pleasures” raises the question of what constitutes a good life. He may bring up the argument that his philosophy accounts for long-term results through concepts like fecundity and duration, but he still misses a key point. The greatest progress an individual will achieve stems from pain. Bentham’s entire framework treats pain as inherently bad, as it supposedly detracts from utility. One must ask oneself: Does Bentham’s principle guide them toward real self-interest, or does it simply reduce all decision making to the pursuit of pleasure? Consider the choice between two lives. One lives comfortably and contentedly with no attempt at self-actualization or considerable character growth. The other struggles and confronts hard truths, developing into a better person through difficulty. Even if the first life contained a higher percentage of pleasure, it would be remiss to say it is a better life. This is because Bentham’s theory fails to encompass one of the most important aspects of human nature, the satisfaction that results not from pleasure, but instead from living as authentic, honest, struggling beings. When Bentham reduces everything to pleasure calculus, he strips away the aspects of what makes a human life worth living.