Modern Wisdom #120 - Professor Paul Bloom - What Do BDSM & Meditation Have In Common?
Nov 14, 2019
Paul Bloom, a Yale psychology professor and author, dives into the intriguing connections between pleasure and pain. He discusses how BDSM, extreme sports, and meditation can all lead to mental clarity and satisfaction. Bloom argues that empathy might actually hinder moral decision-making, while also exploring the enduring love we have for those who have passed. He emphasizes the importance of overcoming discomfort to find personal growth, challenging listeners to rethink how suffering can add meaning to life.
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Empathy in Helping Professions
- Empathy, feeling others' pain, can hinder helping professions.
- Healthcare workers, firefighters, etc., benefit from lower empathy to avoid emotional overload.
Empathy as a Limiting Factor
- High empathy can limit your capacity for certain roles.
- Therapists, for example, require emotional distance to effectively help distressed individuals.
Bias of Empathy
- Empathy is biased; we empathize more easily with similar people.
- Overcoming this bias requires rational compassion, valuing everyone equally.
