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The good life is painful
Sean Illing talks with psychologist Paul Bloom about his new book The Sweet Spot, and whether it's necessary to experience suffering in order to live a fulfilling, meaningful life. They discuss the rich philosophical history of the question: what does it mean to be happy? They also talk about why some people are drawn to scary movies, whether or not to plug in to the Matrix, and why a good paradigm for a well-lived life might be found in the example of... a stand-up comedian.
Host: Sean Illing (@seanilling), Interviews Writer, Vox
Guest: Paul Bloom (@paulbloomatyale), psychologist; author
References:
The Sweet Spot: The Pleasures of Suffering and the Search for Meaning by Paul Bloom (Ecco; 2021)
The Twilight Zone, season 1, episode 28: "A Nice Place to Visit" (1960)
"Masochism as escape from self" by Roy Baumeister (Journal of Sex Research, 25 (1); 1988)
Anarchy, State, and Utopia by Robert Nozick (Basic Books; 1974); an excerpt on the "experience machine"
"If you like it, does it matter if it's real?" by Felipe de Brigard (Philosophical Psychology, 23 (1); 2010)
"High income improves evaluation of life but not emotional well-being" by Daniel Kahneman and Angus Deaton (PNAS; 2010)
Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (Harper Perennial Modern Classics; 1990)
"What Becoming a Parent Really Does to Your Happiness" by Paul Bloom (Atlantic; Nov. 2)
"A psychologically rich Life: Beyond happiness and meaning" by Shigehiro Oishi and Erin C. Westgate (Psychological Review; 2021)
"Happiness: The Three Traditional Theories" by Martin E.P. Seligman and Ed Royzman (2003)
Trying Not to Try: Ancient China, Modern Science, and the Power of Spontaneity by Edward Slingerland (Crown; 2015)
Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Conversations ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.
Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Vox Conversations by subscribing in your favorite podcast app.
Support Vox Conversations by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts
This episode was made by:
Producer: Erikk Geannikis
Editor: Amy Drozdowska
Engineer: Paul Robert Mounsey
Deputy Editorial Director, Vox Talk: Amber Hall
Vox Audio Fellow: Victoria Dominguez
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
View all episodes
By Vox
4.5
1047310,473 ratings
Sean Illing talks with psychologist Paul Bloom about his new book The Sweet Spot, and whether it's necessary to experience suffering in order to live a fulfilling, meaningful life. They discuss the rich philosophical history of the question: what does it mean to be happy? They also talk about why some people are drawn to scary movies, whether or not to plug in to the Matrix, and why a good paradigm for a well-lived life might be found in the example of... a stand-up comedian.
Host: Sean Illing (@seanilling), Interviews Writer, Vox
Guest: Paul Bloom (@paulbloomatyale), psychologist; author
References:
The Sweet Spot: The Pleasures of Suffering and the Search for Meaning by Paul Bloom (Ecco; 2021)
The Twilight Zone, season 1, episode 28: "A Nice Place to Visit" (1960)
"Masochism as escape from self" by Roy Baumeister (Journal of Sex Research, 25 (1); 1988)
Anarchy, State, and Utopia by Robert Nozick (Basic Books; 1974); an excerpt on the "experience machine"
"If you like it, does it matter if it's real?" by Felipe de Brigard (Philosophical Psychology, 23 (1); 2010)
"High income improves evaluation of life but not emotional well-being" by Daniel Kahneman and Angus Deaton (PNAS; 2010)
Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (Harper Perennial Modern Classics; 1990)
"What Becoming a Parent Really Does to Your Happiness" by Paul Bloom (Atlantic; Nov. 2)
"A psychologically rich Life: Beyond happiness and meaning" by Shigehiro Oishi and Erin C. Westgate (Psychological Review; 2021)
"Happiness: The Three Traditional Theories" by Martin E.P. Seligman and Ed Royzman (2003)
Trying Not to Try: Ancient China, Modern Science, and the Power of Spontaneity by Edward Slingerland (Crown; 2015)
Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Conversations ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.
Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Vox Conversations by subscribing in your favorite podcast app.
Support Vox Conversations by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts
This episode was made by:
Producer: Erikk Geannikis
Editor: Amy Drozdowska
Engineer: Paul Robert Mounsey
Deputy Editorial Director, Vox Talk: Amber Hall
Vox Audio Fellow: Victoria Dominguez
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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