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bootman's review against another edition
5.0
It took me far too long to start reading Paul Bloom’s books, but once I started, I couldn’t stop. After binging his other books like Just Babies, How Pleasure Works, and Against Empathy, I was itching for more from Bloom, and fortunately, I was able to get an advanced copy of this new book. This book was inspired by Bloom taking a look at the world and seeing our high rates of suffering while also this rise in people trying to find happiness through self-help and pop psychology. In Paul Bloom fashion, he started asking himself a bunch of questions about pleasure and suffering, and this book is a culmination of his research and theories about how we can find the “sweet spot” between pain and pleasure.
This book is insanely good and like nothing I’ve read before (and this is coming from someone who reads hundreds of non-fiction books a year). Is there such thing as too much pleasure? Why do we find more satisfaction after suffering? Is there something about people who self-harm that we’re not seeing? Bloom tries to answer all of these questions and so much more, and the book really makes the reader reflect on how we pursue pleasure. Sometimes, there are books that are so good and thought provoking that even though I want to binge them, I have to take some time after each chapter to really let it all sink in, and that’s what this book does. The Sweet Spot has such a great blend of psychology, philosophy, and scientific research, and I really think it’ll help a lot of people have a shift in perspective when it comes to how we perceive many important topics when it comes to our personal well-being.
This book is insanely good and like nothing I’ve read before (and this is coming from someone who reads hundreds of non-fiction books a year). Is there such thing as too much pleasure? Why do we find more satisfaction after suffering? Is there something about people who self-harm that we’re not seeing? Bloom tries to answer all of these questions and so much more, and the book really makes the reader reflect on how we pursue pleasure. Sometimes, there are books that are so good and thought provoking that even though I want to binge them, I have to take some time after each chapter to really let it all sink in, and that’s what this book does. The Sweet Spot has such a great blend of psychology, philosophy, and scientific research, and I really think it’ll help a lot of people have a shift in perspective when it comes to how we perceive many important topics when it comes to our personal well-being.
bootman's review
5.0
I sped through this book when I read it for the first time because Paul Bloom was coming on the podcast. I loved it then, but I wanted to read it again now that I had more time to read it and soak it in a bit more. This is a phenomenal book, and Paul remains one of my favorite psych writers. This book covers so many topics that not only help us learn how to live more fulfilling lives while accepting some suffering, but it also helps us understand other human behaviors where people inflict their own suffering.
kathrynhmm's review
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
4.75
Super interesting exploration into the value of suffering and non happiness--how we benefit from, seek it out, and can understand it as supportive of well being and happiness.
gbpy's review
3.0
ehh it's okay if you treat it more as a "here's the summary of the newest state of several disparate psychological concepts"
vereena87's review
5.0
I really enjoy the way Paul Bloom writes and explains things, coincidentally one of the only people who I always enjoy listening on any podcast. This book was entertaining and thought provoking, made me learn things about myself and the people around me.