Aversive experiences, often associated with pain, are two things humans are typically hard-wired to avoid at all costs. In painful events that cause either an individual to suffer or many to suffer, humanity wants to find a way out and find healing as quickly as possible. There's the whole pain and pleasure principle put forward by Hume as well as the psychological support. In referencing towards the typology of sociopathy and psychopathy, often the focus of these psychological behaviors and diagnosing them are the feelings, and/or emotions, and that of empathy and dealing with social conduct. Simply put, these type of individuals do not feel pain or suffer, however, as said before, a typical, normal-functioning individual does.
In the book of Job and The Epic of Gilgamesh, both revolve around the concepts of suffering. Each story touches on different sides of suffering and how they are caused. For Gilgamesh and his companion Endiku, they endure suffering through aversive events they cause for themselves due to their sense of adventure, selfishness and wants, as well as epic strength, which was given to them by the gods, but its the gods and goddesses who they end up angering. Which, first the goddess they anger sends the Bull of Heaven, who they slaughter, and then the god they really anger curses Endiku, in which he dies. Gilgamesh on his quest for immorality dies, after losing the plant that is the key to morality to a sly individual. As for Job, his story is that of a righteous and humble man, who lives according to God's word and in his loyalty and devotion is blessed and given bountiful wealth, even though for a period he is tried both physically and mentally, he is rewarded again two-fold. It is through his suffering and faithfulness that gives him a better understanding of life and a life more bountiful than one can imagine. These two stories are contrasting stories, having the only similarity be that of the concept of suffering, which ultimately can be broken down into specific types of suffering, which was pointed out.
Tori,
ReplyDeleteI find it fascinating and not at all surprising that you brought psychology into the concept of suffering. I am a bit confused, though, on how the first paragraph is tied into the second. Do Job and Gilgamesh show signs of a psychological disorder such as sociopathy? I really lied how you mentioned that there are different types of suffering and that under the suffering umbrella, so to speak, there are many different ways one can suffer. I also like how you talked about aversive situations and how we are hard-wired to avoid them.
Abby,
DeleteSorry for the confusion for the second paragraph and the transition from the first. Job and Gilgamesh do not show signs of sociopathy at all, I meant it as an example of a sort in a general concept for my introductory paragraph. I was going more off of the ideas of those who don't feel aversive events often suffer from psychopathy or sociopathy. I hope that makes sense, again -- sorry for the confusion.
Correction: liked
ReplyDeleteTori,
ReplyDeleteI like how you brought the idea of psychology into play, but like Abby, I don't really understand the connection. It does provide a nice perspective on suffering, though! I also really like your idea on how the stories contrast each other. It makes a lot of sense to me, considering Job and Gilgamesh deal with suffering in two completely different ways. Good job!