Comfortiscomfortingbutitmightnarrowourexperienceatwork—andbeyond.
Inourmodernworlddiscomfortisconsideredaterriblething.Ifnotterribleatleastathingofthepast.Dishwasherswashingmachinescomputersremotecontrols—yestheyaddconveniencebutalsoalevelofcomfortourforefathersdidnotenjoy.
Aspainofanykinddiscourageshappinesswetendtoreasonanythingthatcompromisesourabilitytofeelgoodmustbebad.Andthat’salsoparticularlytrueforourcareers.Successmakesusfeelgreatnotterrible.Suchaviewhoweverisamatterofpersonalopinion.Anditmayblindustohiddenopportunities.
Artiststhroughouthistoryhavetriedtoexperiencesufferinginstinctivelyifnotconsciouslytoproduceworksthatexplorethedarkerhiddensidesofthehumancondition.Thiswasdoneinpartbecausepainisarealityoflifeforeverybodyinsomeformatsometime.Painissomethingeverybodycanrelateto.Andpainmakesapersonverypresent.Forsuchartiststorelieveortodenypainwouldbetoblockthecreativethinkingwhichdrivesthemtoexploreandexpress.InfactGermanshaveatermforthismelancholia“Weltschmerz”whichmeans“sufferingfromtheworld.”WritersfromLordByrontoKurtVonneguthaveusedthetermtodescribethepsychologicalpainencounteredalonglife’sroller-coasterjourney.Itwasnottobeavoided;itwastobeunderstoodinvestigatedandemployed.
SoIproposethatdiscomfortisgoodforus.Orputanotherwayittellsusthatsomethingneedstobeaddressed.Itstretchesusbyforcingustoviewourcircumstancesthroughawhollydifferentlens.Becausewe’redrawntosafetyandsecuritywedoourbesttocreatepleasantcomfortzonesforourselvesandourlovedonesthroughthecarswedrivethehomesweliveinandtheplaceswework.Butbyresistingdiscomfortwedenyourselvesanimportantopportunity:thechancetoshakeourselvesoutofourpredictableperspectivesandallowourselvestomakeknowledgeableobservationswecouldnotpossiblyhavemadebefore.Discomfortgivesusfresheyes.
1.WhichofthefollowingisNOTareasonwhyartiststhroughouthistoryhavebeenexploringsufferings?
A.Painisamirrorthatcanreflectthelifeofeverybody.
B.Painissomethingthatnoonecanescapefro