Episode
#402 - Paul Bloom - Why Pain & Suffering Are Necessary For A Good Life
1:24:01
Published: Thu Nov 25 2021
Description
Paul Bloom is Professor of Psychology at the University of Toronto, Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Yale University and an author. People do strange things to feel pleasure. Eating spicy food, having rough sex, watching scary movies. On top of that, they make huge sacrifices to find meaning, like having children or starting a business or training for a marathon. This suggests that perhaps there is more to living a good life than simple hedonistic pleasure. Expect to learn the four ways that we enjoy suffering, how the sexual fantasies of men & women differ, the true red pill around whether more money will make you happier, what you can learn about mindfulness from a dominatrix, why people love to watch sad movies, how a life without discomfort will become hell and much more... Sponsors: Join the Modern Wisdom Community to connect with me & other listeners - https://modernwisdom.locals.com/ Get 10% discount on your first month from BetterHelp at https://betterhelp.com/modernwisdom (discount automatically applied) Get 20% discount & free shipping on your Lawnmower 4.0 at https://www.manscaped.com/ (use code MODERNWISDOM) Get 83% discount & 3 months free from Surfshark VPN at https://surfshark.deals/MODERNWISDOM (use code MODERNWISDOM) Extra Stuff: Buy The Sweet Spot - https://amzn.to/3DtmiSb Follow Paul on Twitter - https://twitter.com/paulbloomatyale Get my free Reading List of 100 books to read before you die → https://chriswillx.com/books/ To support me on Patreon (thank you): https://www.patreon.com/modernwisdom - Get in touch. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcast Email: https://chriswillx.com/contact/
Chapters
Paul Bloom explores the idea that there is more to living a good life than simple hedonistic pleasure, and suggests that suffering may actually be enjoyed in four ways.
00:00 - 01:16 (01:16)
Summary
Paul Bloom explores the idea that there is more to living a good life than simple hedonistic pleasure, and suggests that suffering may actually be enjoyed in four ways. He delves into various topics such as the difference between men and women's sexual fantasies, the correlation between money and happiness, and how living in a hyper-convenient world can lead to misery.
Episode#402 - Paul Bloom - Why Pain & Suffering Are Necessary For A Good Life
PodcastModern Wisdom
This podcast explores the idea that chosen suffering can lead to a meaningful life, as individuals seek out not just pleasure, but also morality and purpose.
01:16 - 09:50 (08:34)
Summary
This podcast explores the idea that chosen suffering can lead to a meaningful life, as individuals seek out not just pleasure, but also morality and purpose. The speaker suggests that suffering can help us understand human behavior in films, sex, and life, and is often a part of achieving our goals.
Episode#402 - Paul Bloom - Why Pain & Suffering Are Necessary For A Good Life
PodcastModern Wisdom
Establishing daily habits, such as writing or meditation, can be achieved by doing them first thing in the morning and experiencing the satisfaction of accomplishment throughout the day.
09:50 - 15:15 (05:24)
Summary
Establishing daily habits, such as writing or meditation, can be achieved by doing them first thing in the morning and experiencing the satisfaction of accomplishment throughout the day.
Episode#402 - Paul Bloom - Why Pain & Suffering Are Necessary For A Good Life
PodcastModern Wisdom
This podcast discusses Jeremy Bentham's term of "good reputation" and how it relates to the pleasure of suffering.
15:15 - 19:46 (04:30)
Summary
This podcast discusses Jeremy Bentham's term of "good reputation" and how it relates to the pleasure of suffering. It also explores the idea that unpleasant things, such as a whip, can capture attention and bring pleasure to both the creator and the audience.
Episode#402 - Paul Bloom - Why Pain & Suffering Are Necessary For A Good Life
PodcastModern Wisdom
This podcast episode discusses various theories and studies on what makes people enjoy horror movies despite being afraid, and how people react differently to tragedies like Princess Diana's death.
19:46 - 26:04 (06:18)
Summary
This podcast episode discusses various theories and studies on what makes people enjoy horror movies despite being afraid, and how people react differently to tragedies like Princess Diana's death.
Episode#402 - Paul Bloom - Why Pain & Suffering Are Necessary For A Good Life
PodcastModern Wisdom
Contrary to popular belief, women tend to search for and engage in violent or humiliating sex more frequently than men do, according to sex research.
26:04 - 30:15 (04:10)
Summary
Contrary to popular belief, women tend to search for and engage in violent or humiliating sex more frequently than men do, according to sex research. BDSM is no more likely to indicate psychological problems or unhealthy personalities in individuals than those who don't engage in it.
Episode#402 - Paul Bloom - Why Pain & Suffering Are Necessary For A Good Life
PodcastModern Wisdom
Getting into a flow state requires effort and work, but can be easier if the task is done shortly after waking up.
30:16 - 36:00 (05:44)
Summary
Getting into a flow state requires effort and work, but can be easier if the task is done shortly after waking up. By getting into a flow state, it's possible to switch off the default mode network and see different connections that may not be seen otherwise.
Episode#402 - Paul Bloom - Why Pain & Suffering Are Necessary For A Good Life
PodcastModern Wisdom
The speaker discusses the importance of struggle and failure in finding meaning in life.
36:01 - 39:34 (03:33)
Summary
The speaker discusses the importance of struggle and failure in finding meaning in life. He also mentions the desire to run a marathon as an example of setting and achieving meaningful goals.
Episode#402 - Paul Bloom - Why Pain & Suffering Are Necessary For A Good Life
PodcastModern Wisdom
Happiness and fulfillment may not necessarily be tied to high GDP and a safe environment; rather it may be related to political turmoil and life’s difficulties.
39:34 - 43:33 (03:58)
Summary
Happiness and fulfillment may not necessarily be tied to high GDP and a safe environment; rather it may be related to political turmoil and life’s difficulties.
Episode#402 - Paul Bloom - Why Pain & Suffering Are Necessary For A Good Life
PodcastModern Wisdom
The podcast explores the concept of having a valuable and worthwhile life.
43:34 - 50:29 (06:54)
Summary
The podcast explores the concept of having a valuable and worthwhile life. By discussing individuals who find dignity and worth in their jobs, the listeners are challenged to evaluate their own lives.
Episode#402 - Paul Bloom - Why Pain & Suffering Are Necessary For A Good Life
PodcastModern Wisdom
The remembering self lasts longer than the experiencing self, so optimizing for the remembering self often makes more sense, despite the hedonistic pleasure of the moment, according to Dan Gilbert.
50:29 - 55:23 (04:54)
Summary
The remembering self lasts longer than the experiencing self, so optimizing for the remembering self often makes more sense, despite the hedonistic pleasure of the moment, according to Dan Gilbert.
Episode#402 - Paul Bloom - Why Pain & Suffering Are Necessary For A Good Life
PodcastModern Wisdom
Our beliefs and perceptions shape our level of happiness and how we interpret financial success.
55:24 - 1:02:01 (06:37)
Summary
Our beliefs and perceptions shape our level of happiness and how we interpret financial success. A study found that those with over ten million dollars are happier than those with one to ten million dollars.
Episode#402 - Paul Bloom - Why Pain & Suffering Are Necessary For A Good Life
PodcastModern Wisdom
The fear of UBI is that people would stop working and create valuable contributions, but capitalism could offer various status hierarchies to prevent this.
1:02:01 - 1:07:27 (05:26)
Summary
The fear of UBI is that people would stop working and create valuable contributions, but capitalism could offer various status hierarchies to prevent this. In this podcast transcript, we also hear arguments for how UBI is necessary for access to essential services like healthcare.
Episode#402 - Paul Bloom - Why Pain & Suffering Are Necessary For A Good Life
PodcastModern Wisdom
The belief that everything happens for a reason can be corrosive and strips credit away from individuals for their struggles and recovery.
1:07:27 - 1:13:54 (06:26)
Summary
The belief that everything happens for a reason can be corrosive and strips credit away from individuals for their struggles and recovery. Additionally, people make choices to gain pleasure, purpose, meaning and morality.
Episode#402 - Paul Bloom - Why Pain & Suffering Are Necessary For A Good Life
PodcastModern Wisdom
The speaker reflects on the pointless work of Jewish concentration camp prisoners and how it relates to questioning the belief in a loving, protective God after experiences of tragic loss such as 9-11 or the pandemic.
1:13:54 - 1:20:51 (06:56)
Summary
The speaker reflects on the pointless work of Jewish concentration camp prisoners and how it relates to questioning the belief in a loving, protective God after experiences of tragic loss such as 9-11 or the pandemic.
Episode#402 - Paul Bloom - Why Pain & Suffering Are Necessary For A Good Life
PodcastModern Wisdom
The speaker discusses the Sweet Spot approach and how it can affect people's lives, but an ad interrupts the conversation promoting BetterHelp's counseling services and the speaker's reading list.
1:20:51 - 1:23:58 (03:07)
Summary
The speaker discusses the Sweet Spot approach and how it can affect people's lives, but an ad interrupts the conversation promoting BetterHelp's counseling services and the speaker's reading list.