On: Lifestyle design from first principles

[aizatto]

> Any recommendations on how to think about expected value when minimizing suffering?

I don't think it's about "minimizing suffering". There is things to suffer for, and there are things which you shouldn.t

I like to prefix my questions with "When should"

Therefore:

> When should I suffer?

and

> When should I not suffer?

I built a platform where I record questions I ask myself

Here is for the keyword "suffering"

https://www.deepthoughtapp.com/en/keywords/suffering

[surprisetalk → aizatto]

To me, pain differs from suffering. Pain is of the body and suffering is of the mind.

But I think your point still stands. There are plenty of reasons to purposefully subject yourself to pain (e.g. exercise).

I'm not sure about suffering. Suffering is an unavoidable side-effect of love and other delights of life, but it doesn't seem like something to ever be sought after. I'll need to think on that some more.

Also, your "when should" trick is clever! Good strategy for keeping things concrete.

[eevilspock → surprisetalk]

> Suffering is an unavoidable side-effect of love and other delights of life

It's not a side-effect. It's an intrinsic part.

This is expressed in ancient philosophy like Taoism and embedded in its symbol , but since you poo poo philosophy, give a listen to some old pop music: The Rose by Amanda McBroom and sung by Bette Midler, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxSTzSEiZ2c

[jjj123 → surprisetalk]

Idk about “sought after” but it often is useful to embrace and fully experience suffering when it comes for you. Grief is the obvious example.