#542 Paul Bloom - The Sweet Spot: The Pleasures of Suffering and the Search for Meaning
Dr. Paul Bloom is Professor Emeritus at Yale University and Professor of Psychology at the University of Toronto. His research explores how children and adults understand the physical and social world, with special focus on language, morality, religion, fiction, and art. His new book is The Sweet Spot: The Pleasures of Suffering and the Search for Meaning.
In this episode, we focus on The Sweet Spot. We start with a few definitions (pleasure, suffering, happiness, and meaning). We then get into topics like: the difference between chosen and unchosen suffering; the relationship between happiness and meaning; motivational pluralism; the difference between suffering for pleasure, and suffering for meaning; the role context plays in how we valuate our experiences; the complicated interplay between pain and pleasure; masochism, self-harm, and BDSM; the state of flow; boredom; the role of imagination; how we derive pleasure from moral punishment; what people find meaningful; narratives and meaning; why are so many people suffering in industrialized societies; the Nozick experience machine, and if it is possible for people to do without suffering; and where we can find the “sweet spot”.
Time Links:
Intro
Pleasure, suffering, happiness, and meaning
Chosen and unchosen suffering
Happiness and meaning
Motivational pluralism
Suffering for pleasure, and suffering for meaning
When experiences are both painful and pleasant
The role of context
When pleasure follows pain, or when they get mixed
Masochism, and self-harm
BDSM, and escaping from oneself
States of flow
Boredom
The psychological role of imagination
The relationship between pleasure and moral punishment
What people find meaningful
Narratives
Why are so many people suffering in industrialized societies?
Why do people seek suffering?
Can people do without suffering?
Altering our experience of pain and pleasure
What is the “sweet spot”, then?
Follow Dr. Bloom’s work!
Follow Dr. Bloom’s work:
Our first interview: https://youtu.be/iai9H0e2H2g
Faculty page: https://bit.ly/3n6sruY
ResearchGate profile: https://bit.ly/3eJfJ2B
Amazon page: https://amzn.to/35iQIrM
The Sweet Spot: https://amzn.to/3mzVGYx
Twitter handle: @paulbloomatyale