The Healthy Management of Reality - Stanford University

Chapter 4Unnecessary SufferingHuman life involves some degree of joy and some degree of suffering, andlarge amounts of normal states of mind. This chapter deals with the negativeaspects of experience, that is, with suffering. There are certain things that are partof being a biological organism. Our body can be hurt, our body can become sickand our feelings can also be hurt. Human beings are motivated to reduce suffering,not only in themselves but also in their loved ones and another human beings. Thatis why we have physicians and others who take care of people when they arefeeling sick or in pain. That is why we have psychologists and other therapists andthat is why we have priests and ministers. Therefore, when are talking about thehealthy management of reality we are talking not only about trying to bring aboutthose things that we wish do happen, but also to try to avoid those which causepain.As we think about human suffering, we can divide suffering into two types:the first is what I will call necessary suffering, and the second unnecessarysuffering. Necessary suffering is the suffering that is built into the way we are.For example, if we fall, we can scrape our knees and feel pain, where our skin isscraped and where our bones were jarred. If someone we love leaves, or dies, wemiss them, and there is emotional pain involved in not having them with us anylonger. If certain basic needs are not met, such as food, warmth, safety, humanbeings suffer. They suffer from hunger, from cold, and from fear. These aspectsof human experience that can be painful and therefore can produce some sufferingHMOR.July2005.Muñoz.doc 37