The Sweet Spot

From horror movies and roller-coaster rides to marathon-running, religious abstinence and (most painful of all) parenthood, humans are drawn irresistibly to activities that they know are going to hurt. In this book, psychologist Paul Bloom explains why doing so is the key to a life well lived. Drawing on studies of the evolutionary value of play and the science of morality, he presents an alternative account of human behaviour in which our desire for meaning is far greater than our desire for happiness, and shows not only that chosen suffering - including pain, fear and sadness - can be a source of pleasure, but that suffering is an essential part of achieving a complete and fulfilling life.