By Mary Jaksch
What gives you pleasure?
Maybe that’s easy to answer. But why does it give you pleasure? That’s more difficult to say exactly.
Watch the TED video by Paul Bloom about the origines of pleasure. You’ll find it below.
(If you’re reading this in an email, click here to watch it).
What are your thoughts on this?
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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks for this fascinating video! I totally agree with the idea that the mode in which we frame our experiences (i.e., the stories we tell ourselves) can affect our feelings in a way or another. I would have liked Paul Bloom to talk more about how pain can be transformed into the opposite. Unfortunately, most people search unsuccessfully for happiness by being only interested in one side of the coin (pleasure, “positive energy”, love) while trying to avoid what looks unconventional, uncomfortable, or related with negative emotions. Their struggle only perpetuate their feelings of discontent about themselves and others, because sooner or later life will bring a new negative event to the table. Those who feel vulnerable to “negativity” (i.e., to one aspect of our lives) are those who don’t apply mindfulness in the right way.
Hi Mary,
I enjoyed watching Paul’s presentation very much. His topic was very engaging and enlightening. Personally I love the psychology of the human mind and how we tick. His examples of enjoying something more because of it’s perceived origin was hard to ignore. While others could try to argue the facts he presented, I myself found a great deal of real life examples come to my mind as he unrolled his synopsis. What I found most intriguing is that pain can really be subjective if you think someone is hurting you on purpose, versus by accident.
How often do we find ourselves enraged and infuriated when we think someone close to us has said or done something with the intention of hurting us? If we lighten up and believe that our loved one was not being malicious, but rather wasn’t aware that what they said or did hurt us…..wouldn’t we be calmer, quicker to forgive them, less likely to let a situation boil out of control?
I believe that if we learn from these studies we can change the world, one person at a time. No more domestic fights spiraling out of control over what one spouse said to hurt the other spouse. No more road rage because that driver intentionally cut you off, they couldn’t have just been trying to get out of the way or would you be less irritated if you knew they were racing to the hospital ER to tend to a loved one? No more yelling at our children for spilling their cup. Seriously, do you really think they did it on purpose to get your attention?
I loved this message and will use it to try and calm myself when those irritational thoughts enter my head.
Lisa
Hi Mary.
I know what gives me pleasure. It is working hard that does it. When I work hard, I know good things are coming, and that is all I need.
It’s good to know the origins of our enjoyment.
I loved the story about Goering & the Dutch art dealer/forger. That was truly a Zen parable. My art collection consists of very inexpensive poster reproductions of paintings that I have always loved. In a few cases, I’ve actually seen the originals in museums. I love my posters just because they are ever so much more accessible. My posters have been hanging on the same walls, in the same places, since I moved into this house about 22 months ago. They hung on other walls, in a different house, for years before I moved here. Mostly now, I walk past them daily almost without seeing them. But every once in awhile, one will catch my eye, & I will stop & really look at it. They always give me pleasure when I really look at them anew.
Indeed this concept is true,we always tend to get more pleasure on the mental model we have already created,it just gave me a thought about this concept thank you for this wonderful post