An Analysis Of David Brooks s What Suffering Does Pain ``

Why do we suffer? Humans have spent years searching for meaning in the grievous events that happen in life. Some find comfort through religions that give reason to tragedy and teach that suffering is not always eternal. Others just accept that this is the way the world is and then do their best to adapt to that reality. Religions and philosophies, like Buddhism and stoicism, may try to teach its followers how to end their pain, because no one likes hurting. However, suffering is not necessarily a bad thing. It is painful, but suffering can bring new levels of meaning and appreciation to happiness. Pain is inevitable for anyone who cares about the people or things in his/her life. But if we were to eliminate suffering then life would become meaningless, because real joy is not possible without the risk of pain, and those who find contentment after enduring some tribulations appreciate their joy much more. David Brooks argues, in his essay â€Å"What Suffering Does†, that pain o ften gives people a new outlook and possibly even a new path in life. He explains that suffering can help people see their lives from an outsider’s perspective, discover new depths of their character, and often find new paths: â€Å"The grief of having lost a loved one smashes through what they thought was the bottom floor of their personality, revealing an area below,† (Brooks 286). Brooks in this passage describes how suffering can enhance a person’s character. As clichà © as it sounds, hardships can, in fact,Show MoreRelatedCombined Experience of Suffering, Death and Love all at Once1541 Words   |  7 PagesFurthermore, he was unable to marry his fiancà ©e, Fanny Brawne. Drawing from his individual experiences, Keats wrote very vividly about the pains and suffering he was going through. He expressed his unfulfillment as a writer, his love and struggles, the fleetingness of life and happiness, and his inner conflicts. Jack Stillinger writes, â€Å"It is t his combined experience of suffering, death, and love all at once, against a background of serious conversation, reading, and thinking, that accounts for Keatss suddenRead MoreThe Fight For Freedom By Harriet Jacobs2100 Words   |  9 PagesFight for Freedom Harriet Jacobs, in her narrative, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, was born into slavery in the south. While her youth contained â€Å"six years of happy childhood,† a few tragedies and mistresses later, Jacobs spent many years in pain under the possession of her cruel five-year-old mistress, Emily Flint, and Emily’s father, Dr. Flint. 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