In this case, the complexity is in how you define the word 'suffering'. Is a worm suffering when it tries to escape from a heat source? Is a human infant suffering when it cries in response to a needle prick? Is a motor driver suffering when it raises a high-temperature alarm? As far as I can see they're all on the same continuum, and it's possible to find people who will answer either way to any of the above.
Well not the suffering, you're certainly right there. But the internal narrative around that suffering can be challenged, and in being challenged lessen the suffering. In my experience. Doubly so in public.
Temporarily putting personal feelings aside, I think you've touched on interesting philosophical questions: can something so subjective as suffering ever be fathomed, does it scale, can you do math on it...
> Why then say "life is synonymous with suffering", and not "life is synonymous with all the manifold experiences that comprise it"?
Because it's important to fully empathize with those who have not yet learned to view pain as merely one of "all the manifold experiences that comprise" life. It's good that you understand this more spiritually sound perspective but to most people, suffering (meaning the innumerable cravings and spiritual addictions that we are all subject to as part of living) is kind of a Big Deal. Sometimes it's so big of a deal that they make irreversible and very poorly considered decisions over it, as OP discusses.
There seems to be an implicit assumption here that understanding "suffering" as a concept is necessary in order to suffer. That may be justifiable, but it certainly requires justification.
I understand what you mean but also perception is big thing with what I said about suffering. Also, I used that word from a Buddhist/Stoic context and from my life experience testing out those schools of thought.
Source? I keep seeing this thrown around, and I really don't see how it follows. Do you really think people can't just be happy, that they need suffering in their lives, or knowledge of someone suffering? Perhaps we're operating under different definitions of 'suffering', but I'd be really interested to hear a good case study on this.
> Suffering, even pain, are like the opposite side of the same coin. You can’t have one without the other, so when facing struggles, try to view it as such; the necessary component in a fulfilling life.
This is true to some limited extent, but it seems wrong to think of the distinction between happiness is suffering as entirely or even mostly about contrast.
For example, consider a person who has, through some combination of disability, misfortune, and the malice of others, never had any positive moments in their entire life. If you had the power to do so, would it be unnecessary to help them out of their situation? After all, they have no happy memories to contrast their situation against. If you can't guarantee that they won't return to their previous situation, a contrast-based view implies that you would actually be doing harm by putting their past and future suffering into perspective.
When you have no say over what happens to you, contrasting a painful present with a pleasant past is a valuable coping mechanism, but it's also important to not justify suffering(especially the suffering of others) on such grounds in general terms.
To be clear, I'm not accusing you of doing that, just talking about what I've heard from other people on the topic.
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