Are you curious why humans willingly seek out difficult experiences, even when they seem to offer little immediate pleasure? Do you suspect there's more to a fulfilling life than just happiness and comfort? If you've ever pondered the deeper motivations behind our struggles, then "Paul Bloom on Finding Meaning and Pleasure Through Suffering" is the course for you.

Presented by Personal Development ProSkills.training in partnership with the Next Big Idea Club, this comprehensive 10-lesson, 21-page course with graded assessments dives into the perplexing paradox of human nature: our inherent attraction to pain and suffering.

Renowned psychologist Paul Bloom, a professor at the University of Toronto and emeritus professor at Yale University, and author of The Sweet Spot: The Pleasures of Suffering and the Search for Meaning, challenges the widely held belief that humans are purely hedonists. Instead, he argues that a close look at our appetite for pain reveals a drive towards something deeper and more transcendent: meaning.

In this course, you will explore:

• The Paradox of Chosen Suffering: Discover why we engage in activities like eating spicy foods, immersing ourselves in hot baths, or watching movies that make us cry or scream. Bloom differentiates between "chosen pain" (which we actively seek for pleasure or meaning) and "unchosen pain" (which happens involuntarily).
• The Power of Contrast (Benign Masochism): Learn how our brains are "difference engines," valuing experiences in terms of contrast. Benign masochism, a term coined by psychologist Paul Rozin, explains the pleasure we derive from negative emotions and sensations when experienced safely. Studies show that an unpleasant experience can become pleasurable if it's less severe than anticipated, highlighting the "rush associated with the period immediately after pain's release".
• The Joy of Escape: Uncover how pain can focus the mind, relieve anxiety, and provide a temporary escape from the "burden of consciousness" and the incessant "internal monologue" that often causes stress and worry. Just as meditation aims to achieve presence, controlled struggle can offer a powerful distraction.
• Pleasures of the Imagination: Understand why our fictional worlds – from novels and movies to video games and daydreams – often include elements of pain and struggle. This course will explain how stories frequently follow an "inverted check-mark structure" (things get worse before they get better), making triumphs more satisfying. Play, too, serves an evolutionary purpose, acting as a "flight simulator" to prepare us for real-world challenges.
• Suffering as Central to Meaning (Against Hedonism): Challenge the notion that life is solely about maximizing pleasure. Drawing on Victor Frankl's insights from Man's Search for Meaning, you'll learn why meaning is a motivation "every bit as central as pleasure". Research indicates that lives perceived as meaningful often involve more anxiety and struggle than merely happy lives, with professions like clergy, educators, and social workers consistently rated highly for meaning despite inherent difficulties.

By the end of this course, you will understand that a full and healthy life encompasses more than just comfort and pleasure; it embraces meaningful struggle, fosters resilience, and connects us to a deeper sense of purpose.