Blast to the Past... and Altruistic Hedonism?

I was talking to Mr Vaughn earlier today, and somehow the topic turned to the meaning of life. It was interesting how what he said reflected what we've been learning about the arguments between the 4 characters of קהלת.

Mr Vaughn made the point that no one ever gets out of life alive, but just because you will die, that doesn't mean your life is worthless. You still have to do the right thing. You can still do your part to make the world a better place in the short term, at least. Think, for example about your 1st or 2nd grade teacher. Do you remember him/her? What did he/she do to make you remember him/her?

Personally, I don't remember much of Mrs Robertson, my own first grade teacher, but I do remember her giving us books at the end of the year to take home with us.  I even remember what books they were! (Pinky and Rex and Henry and Mudge)

My point is, though, that even though I don't remember her well, my first grade teacher basically began my education and got me to where I am at this point. Even though she won't be alive forever, she will, to use a cliche, "live on in me": in my memory and in my being educated and educating others. She had no idea how wide her impact would be, but hey! I still remember her, right? And I'm talking about her to you. Whether that impact visibly lasts a second or a lifetime, or even longer, it's still an impact. In the words of the Tuck Everlasting movie (and possibly the book as well), "...[Y]ou don't have to live forever. You just have to live."

Mr Vaughn also said that, yes, we should enjoy the world while we live in it, and that maybe hedonism isn't inherently so bad depending on the definition and "type" of hedonism. Consider this: What if someone got pleasure from helping and doing things for other people. If that was their form of hedonism, does that still count as hedonism? Can someone gain his or her pleasure solely from helping other people and still be called a hedonist? Or the label of hedonism saved only for the people who gain all their pleasure from selfish materialism?

Voice your opinions in the comments below!