Big Questions

To what extent do you feel that the physical reality of having to live in a body can be considered a form of suffering?

To begin this paper, I will first preface my interpretation of the key terms used in the prompt. I view the body as encompassing both physical and cognitive aspects that work together to create meaningful experiences. This means that the mind will be treated as interconnected with the body and not as two independent entities. For instance, our eyes, a physical organ, enable us the gift of sight, a cognitive process. Through cooperation, these complementary facets make our bodies a fundamental aspect of human existence, shaping our interactions with the world and influencing our perceptions of self and others.

Through these experiences, we embody the sensations of happiness and suffering. Given the complexity of these two dimensions, I will reduce their definitions to emotions that elicit pleasure and pain respectively, and that these sensations can manifest in the body’s physical and cognitive realm. In other words, pain and pleasure will be discussed in the physical, emotional and intellectual sense.

Using personal experiences, course materials, and the movie Her by Spike Jonze, I will be discussing the duality of the human body - its potential as a vessel for happiness but also its susceptibility to suffering. Ultimately, based on which is more critical to the human condition and our daily interactions, I argue that the pleasure derived from the body is more important than the pain it brings. The body must be valued as a source of ultimate happiness because it enables us to interact, perceive, and formulate thoughts about the world around us, defining the fundamentals of the human condition.

We have no authority over the mind

The body is a form of suffering to a great extent as a system that limits our full range of thoughts and cognitive functions, reducing our responses to a series of trained instinctive and logical products based on experience, rendering us helpless to our mind. This makes us suffer because we no longer feel the excitement of discovering something new, and are unable to free ourselves from such systems.

Khaneman introduces two innate cognitive structures that regulate our thoughts - System 1, which operates on intuition, and System 2, which functions on logic. While both systems are theorised to help formulate useful heuristics and decisions, they stifle original thought and narrow our cognitive capabilities.

Khaneman’s regulatory system framework determines that our reactions are automatic, devoid of uniqueness. Our perception and understanding are automatically reduced to logic and intuition, stripping away the happiness of discovering something new. Take for instance being a student at SMU, a novel experience that I should be excited about. But because of these limiting systems that have immediately formulated perceptions based on instinct and reason, the excitement of taking new modules is replaced with anxiety and the rewarding challenge of examinations are associated to academic pressure.

If our bodies are freed from System 1 and 2 thinking, we would have more freedom in cultivating sincere reactions about a certain situation, deriving pleasure from the curiosity of approaching something new. I will be able to enjoy being a fresh undergraduate who is eager to learn and discover new interests. But because these systems are here to regulate my responses, I suffer through immediately associating university as an extension of Singapore’s rigid and demanding education instead of an immersive learning environment, feeling much apprehension and not excitement.  

Kahneman exposes our lack of true independence over our thoughts, leaving us to suffer as the systems replace our genuine thoughts to new experiences with structured responses. This realisation intensifies our suffering when we recognise our helplessness in overcoming these systematic thinking systems, perpetuating a cycle of constrained experiences and diminished happiness. For as long as we live, we can only endure this constant erosion of joy in favour of automatic responses governed by logic and intuiton. We become powerless to overcome these cognitive systems and continue to surrender our control to them, making us suffer as we lose all authority over our minds.

Our bodies do not take responsibility for incurring emotional pain

Another area where our bodies become a vessel for pain lies in its lack of responsibility for incurring emotional turmoil, leaving us to deal with it on our own. This makes us suffer because such negativity disrupts our everyday lives if left untreated, and those who fail to obtain reliable support are prone to adopt harmful measures. 

Given that our bodies are complex enough to have systems that regulate our thoughts, it would be logical to assume that they also have structures that controls our emotions. After all, since our bodies produce these emotions through cognitive and hormonal functioning, they must be responsible for removing painful sensations. 

However, our bodies lack such capabilities to alleviate our emotional turmoil definitively, pain that is imposed onto us immediately when we encounter a displeasing situation. The body does not take responsibility for this misery, leaving us to deal with this pain on our own without clear guidance. This burden disrupts our interactions, making us prone to suffer unintentional anger outbursts or succumb to deep depression as we struggle to navigate through these emotions properly.

Suppose our body does take responsibility for evoking such negativity by helping us  overcome them effectively. In that case, our interactions and perception of the world around us become genuine and free from the possibility of clouded judgment, imbuing a sense of control as we feel empowered to make intentional choices that align with our goals and values. But since we are left to our own devices in dealing with such emotional turmoil, we risk projecting this negativity outwards as we struggle to navigate through our emotional pain, bringing unintentional harm to those around us.

Because the body does not help us relieve the pain it incurs (at this juncture) most people would look towards social support groups to ease this suffering. However, those that lack such communities are left behind and become vulnerable to adopt unhealthy measures that aggrevates their suffering. The movie, Her, illustrates this accurately through Theodore, the protagonist.

Grappling with emotional emptiness following his divorce, Theodore crafts intimate letters for his clients in hopes of finding comfort by fabricating their sentiments in writing. He acknowledges the insincerity of such interactions, and watching him continuously return to this “addiction” was painful. I could feel his desperation through the screen and felt angry at his body for allowing him to suffer needlessly, trapping himself in this self-loathing cycle without helping to overcome this emotional pain.

Theodore’s body has become a vessel of immense agony because it does not take responsibility for the emotional suffering it imposed on the character. Not once does it direct Theodore towards healthier coping methods like therapy, and instead perpetuates his meaningless letter-writing routine. By not contributing any meaningful redirection, Theodore’s sorrow turns into a deep depression where he ends up pushing those around him away unintentionally.

If our bodies had structures to overcome the emotional turmoil it brings, those suffering the same plight as Theodore would not need to prolong their pain and can invest their time into more meaningful areas.

That said, while the body does bring us pain as a system that limits our thoughts and remains unaccountable to the emotional pain it imposes, we must acknowledge its duality. Broadly speaking, happiness and suffering are ultimately interdependent of each other. Pain and pleasure created from the body do not occur in silo, and it would be unjust to classify it as strictly one category.

Hence, we must recognise the body as a form of happiness that not only evokes pleasure but as a vessel that enables us to ease our suffering through overcoming our insecurities, interacting with comforting spaces and finding solace in others. Because our bodies allow us to cushion the impact of our pain, it must ultimately be respected as a form of happiness.

Our bodies enable us to overcome our insecurities 

Our bodies are a form of pleasure by enabling us to overcome our insecurities, nurturing a sense of personal growth and liberation from these mental barriers.

Growing up as triplets, I was always putting on a strong front and masquerading my insecurities whenever I interacted with people. As the eldest, I figured I cannot be vulnerable in stressful times, and was critical of myself whenever I failed to do so.

Then over time, I discovered my passion for mental health. Given the sensitive nature of this field, I knew I had to be vulnerable to engage in it. After much difficulty in opening up, my body made me realise that I no longer needed to bottle up my emotions nor mask my weaknesses, that I should respect who I am. Through writing blogs, my body allowed me to practice mindfulness and I started to observe my thoughts and feelings without any prejudice or judgement. Transitioning to university, this courage gave me the confidence to pursue leadership positions, enabling me to impact a wider audience and spread my ideas.

I am grateful to my body for allowing me to move past my previous insecurities, and mustering the courage to tackle greater challenges ahead. I would not have envisioned myself to be where I am today, and reflecting on the adversities I had to overcome to get here brings me immense pleasure. With such experiences, I also feel more confident connecting with people who share a similar background and can positively impact them by sharing my struggles and vulnerabilities. 

Through this journey of self-acceptance, I appreciated Mok’s Arabasquesque on a deeper level. Subscribing to expressing vulnerability through movement, Mok advocates ballet as a powerful tool that forces one to display their insecurities before an audience. Initially, I did not understand the significance of her message. Ballet to me was just a physically demanding dance, and associating it as a method to overcome our internal flaws was surprising because it felt too dramatic.

However, after demonstrating a few moves described by her at home, I realised that it was emotionally demanding and made me feel a new level of insecurity not previously experienced. Ironically, performing those moves in isolation made me feel exposed to the world, and I was frightened. I was anxious that I would be judged for blundering the moves. It was only after more attempts that those fears soon subsided, and I started to embrace my exposed body in this vulnerable state. At that moment I accepted my flaws and was no longer ashamed of them. I was happy. 

Mok shares an inspiring use of our body to overcome our insecurities through ballet, a movement that positions us in “unnatural” states that make us vulnerable and feel exposed to judgment. While it is an unforgettable experience, it is precisely this uneasiness that transforms our bodies into vessels of empowerment which lends us the courage to accept our flaws. The pleasure here derives from ballet’s movement, a symbolic gesture that signifies self-confidence and being comfortable in your skin after acknowledging your flaws. This nurtures personal growth, allowing us to overcome greater challenges and expand our capabilities without any mental barriers limiting us. 

Through interactions with living spaces, our body forms deeper connections with others

By enabling us to interact with others, our bodies bring us pleasure by cultivating personal connections with those around us.

Here, I would like to discuss the function of one’s home and how the body can transform it into a conducive space shaped by individual preferences. With each home boasting a unique design and space, experiencing these differences elicits pleasure when we uncover meaning behind specific objects kept in people’s houses. Ultimately, this nurtures connections on a deeper and personal level, fostering social trust. 

This notion is inspired by Dean’s happiness by design where he advocates the importance of designing one’s environments to promote well-being, increasing happiness and life satisfaction. I enjoyed his exploration of different insights that influence our home design choices, making me realise that each home is unique as individuals differ in personalities, goals, and needs. This brings me pleasure knowing that every body has a personalised environment to return to no matter how messy their day was, and can be vulnerable in a safe space without fear of judgment. Through design, our bodies have transformed homes into conducive places for our ideas and imagination, evoking happiness as we can escape our hectic realities and immerse ourselves in intellectual fantasies for a while.

Ahmed’s happy objects complements Dean’s argument by exploring the importance of keeping objects that we find meaningful in our homes, adding another layer of pleasure that our bodies can enjoy. Ahmed reminds us that happiness is purely subjective and symbolised by the various objects people keep in their homes and that we should respect these differences. I always get excited during housewarmings because for that brief moment in time, my body allows me to engage in the host’s reality and get a glimpse into their everyday life. From a childhood art project that elicits feelings of nostalgia to a photograph of their family that surfaces fond memories, interacting with these treasured objects enables our bodies to cultivate a deeper relationship with the host, fostering a sense of closeness and intimacy which brings comfort and happiness.

Homes are also an extension of the body, and must be treated as such. While our bodies may struggle to articulate our emotional state, it is reliable in shaping a space that reflects our thoughts and feelings through home design choices. Reflecting back to the movie, Theodore’s bare apartment with minimalistic interior implies that he values simplicity and clarity in his living environment. Through an intentional abscence of ornaments, Theodore’s body allows me to form a deeper connection to him as a character, enhancing my sympathy for his struggles. Understanding how our bodies express emotional well-being can be reassuring as it provides additonal cues for identifying when a peer may be experiencing difficulty. This allows me to offer support more swiftly and effectively, making a significant difference in their well-being. 

The body allows us to share pain

Considering that the body’s role in happiness and suffering is virtually limitless when we recognise that these sensations can manifest across physical, intellectual, and emotional realms, concluding that one form is more evident than the other seems improbable. Moreover, as the world shifts towards post-materialistic values, emerging avenues of pain and pleasure further complicate our ability to come to a sensible conclusion.

Nonetheless, I definitively argue that the body must be respected as a form of happiness because the pleasure it elicits allows us to overcome the pain it incurs. From overcoming our insecurities to being comforted in our homes, our body provides us with avenues to cushion our suffering.

In this final analysis, I discuss the ultimate form that the body alleviates this suffering - through allowing us to share painful experiences with others. Reflecting on Boruke’s admiration of pain as a subjective experience, he hints that suffering is difficult to share because it is unique and intimate. Since everyone perceives pain differently, Bourke fears that allowing others into this inner world of hurt may diminish its individuality, diluting its significance and meaning.

However, after many personal experiences of pain, I realise Bourke conveys a very narrow and paranoid message. A huge part of my recovery process after an unpleasant situation is to share my sorrow with others to get comfort and support, a solace that I would otherwise be unable to obtain if pain was indeed purely individualistic. Because I feel demoralised whenever my friends tell me their stories of heartbreak or emotional distress, it is clear that their painful interactions have impacted me in some capacity, influencing my own emotions and thoughts.

I am grateful that my body is receptive to experiences outside my reality, enabling me to extend empathy and become a more supportive friend towards my peers. While I may never fully comprehend another person’s journey, I am privileged to catch glimpses of their emotions through their stories. My body allows me to recognise their pain and elicit appropriate responses for comfort, and I am content knowing that I can sympathise and offer assistance to those suffering from emotional turmoil.

Our bodies have transformed pain into a concept that while respecting its individuality, acknowledges its universality. With personal experiences giving us a general idea of what someone may be going through, our bodies allow us to seek and lend comfort to those around us grappling with emotional distress. We are never truly alone in our bodies when hurting, and can always find consolation in another being. This fosters deeper compassion and appreciation for others, strengthening social bonds and nurturing collective resilience as we continue to face greater challenges.  

The duality of our bodies as genuine forms of happiness and suffering makes our very existence both pleasurable and painful, and determining a definitive stance in this paper was extremely difficult precisely because there is no conclusive answer to such an existential subject. And so, we are asking the wrong question here. It is not a matter of the degree to which our bodies are forms of happiness and suffering because this implies that one is more evident than the other which is never the case. Rather, the human body must be respected as a valid form of both happiness and suffering, and it is up to the individual to make a definitive conclusion as to which end of the spectrum he believes in more.   

Our perception of the human condition remains subjective and varies depending on the narrative one adopts. An optimist like me will subscribe to the idea of the body as the ultimate form of happiness because it manipulates pain by enabling us to overcome our insecurities, interact with our comforting spaces, and form deeper connections with others through shared pain. Collectively, these forms of pleasure recogonises pain and seeks to cushion its harmful effects by using it to our advantage, ultimately transforming them into points of pleasure. As such, my body is treasured as a form of happiness.