The Power of Suffering and Transformative Growth

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This chapter explores the transformative power of suffering and the lessons it teaches. It illustrates how suffering can lead to self-understanding, empathy towards others, and a sense of transcendence and service. The chapter also discusses the story of Francis Perkins, a young woman who found her calling after witnessing a tragic fire, and dedicated her life to the cause of worker safety.

On May 26th 2015, New York Times columnist David Brooks came to the Intelligence Squared stage to share the insights of his latest book, 'The Road to Character'. Brooks argued that today’s ‘Big Me’ culture is making us increasingly self-preoccupied: we live in a world where we’re taught to be assertive, to master skills, to broadcast our brand, to get likes, to get followers. But amidst all the noise of self-promotion, Brooks claimed that we’ve lost sight of an important and counterintuitive truth: that in order to fulfil ourselves we need to learn how to forget ourselves. Brooks was joined on stage by writer and lecturer on psychology, politics, and the arts Andrew Solomon.

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