The author discusses the dangers facing civilization from within, highlighting “pleasure” as a deadly poison that threatens the mind rather than the body. He contrasts modern distractions with intelligent pastimes of the past, lamenting the decline of individual initiative and intelligence in favor of passive entertainment. The author argues that these effortless pleasures pose a greater threat to civilization than external dangers like war, as they lead to a decline in mental engagement and potential premature senility. He warns of a future society plagued by chronic boredom and a desperate search for increasingly violent stimulation.
https://hackneybooks.co.uk/books/364/686/Pleasures.html