10% Happier with Dan Harris The Right Kind of Suffering | Paul Bloom
Nov 22, 2021
Paul Bloom, a Psychology professor at the University of Toronto and Yale, dives into the fascinating realm of chosen suffering. He explains how voluntary difficulty can enhance meaning in life, contrasting it with unchosen adversity. Bloom discusses benign masochism, where pain and pleasure intermingle. He also highlights the societal misconceptions surrounding post-traumatic growth and explores how media violence might prepare us for real-life fears. Ultimately, he advocates for chasing meaningful experiences over mere happiness.
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The Brain as a Difference Engine
- The brain enjoys contrasts, which explains the pleasure in benign masochism.
- Experiences like scary movies use contrast to heighten enjoyment.
Evolutionary Negativity Bias
- People are naturally drawn to explore negative scenarios, like in zombie movies.
- These scenarios can be seen as imaginative rehearsals for worst-case situations.
Finding Flow
- Paul Bloom suggests finding flow experiences as a form of chosen suffering.
- He recommends finding pursuits where you lose track of time.
