THE SWEET SPOT (2021) by Paul Bloom

thanks to everyone that came out to our first Meetup! many enlightening ideas were shared and we had some great discussions ranging from existing in the present moment and the wisdom of insecurity to everyone's favourite pop-philosopher, Jordan Peterson 😆

up next is Paul Bloom's THE SWEET SPOT (2021). while it's not technically philosophy, THE SWEET SPOT delves into a variety of philosophical inquiries about the nature of pain and suffering, and how our views towards them contribute to our notion of identity and our quest for meaning.

we'll be discussing THE SWEET SPOT on October 28 at 10am at the Red Brick Café. you can borrow the book from the Guelph Public Library (there are two copies available). it's available for purchase almost everywhere books are sold.

taken from the back cover:

"Drawing on groundbreaking findings from psychology and brain science, THE SWEET SPOT shows how the right kind of suffering sets the stage for enhanced pleasure. Pain can distract us from our anxieties. Choosing to suffer can serve social goals; it can display how tough we are or, conversely, can function as a cry for help. And struggle can, in the right contexts, lead to the joys of mastery and flow.

But suffering plays a deeper role as well. We are not natural hedonists - a good life involves more than pleasure. People seek lives of meaning and significance; we aspire to rich relationships and satisfying pursuits, and this requires some amount of struggle, anxiety, and loss. Brilliantly argued, witty, and humane, THE SWEET SPOT shows how a life without chosen suffering would be empty - and, worse than that, boring."

happy reading!