Sweet Spot

World-renowned psychologist Paul Bloom presents a captivating scientific account of why a rich and meaningful life is rarely an easy one - and why we should embrace that fact.

Why do we seek out painful experiences?

Why do some people enjoy being punched? If you want to turn a rival into a friend, why is the best tactic to ask them a favour? Why did instant cake mixes become more popular when you had to add an egg? What's the connection between dark sexual fantasy and our love of fiction? What drives a person to free-climb El Capitan or dedicate their life to solving Fermat's last theorem?

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 The Sweet Spot, 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. Put simply, if the things that mean most to us were easy, what would be the point? As Holocaust survivor Victor Frankl wrote, 'Those who have a "why" to live can bear with almost any "how".'

Endlessly fascinating and counter-intuitive, this is a deeply humane and enlightening enquiry, packed with unexpected insight into the human condition.