Some Approaches To Suffering
Useful insights on managing the trials of life
Hello there,
Life is full of suffering, and it’s easy to be overwhelmed by it. But how are we to respond?
At the heart of it lies a paradox: Should we fix suffering or face it? Let’s explore this tension and the profound lessons it holds.
Pointless Suffering
The problem of suffering today is compounded by the fact that it feels pointless. A root canal, a divorce, the endless left swipes on Bumble—they seem random, cruel, and purposeless.
In ancient days, religion provided comfort by offering meaning to suffering. Christianity, for instance, framed suffering as a path to redemption. Nietzsche called this the mysterious machinery of salvation, and it served as a palliative. People endured because they believed their pain had a divine purpose.
But in today’s godless world, this framework has largely disappeared. Without a higher meaning to lean on, suffering often feels like a meaningless burden. This vacuum is why modern distractions—reels, fast food, porn—have taken root. So what do we do about it?
3 Approaches
We have three kinds of attitudes toward suffering: fix it, face it, and ignore it.
The last one is gaining popularity in today’s era, where we simply ignore our problems and distract ourselves.
It doesn’t take a 180 IQ to point out that this approach does more harm than good, because even if you cover a pile of horse shit with a bed of roses and spray some Davidoff Cool Water, the stink isn’t going to disappear.
So there are only 2 legitimate ways to deal with our suffering: fix it or face it.
And herein lies the great paradox of suffering: we must attempt to fix suffering with all our might, while also accepting it. Let’s unpack both.
Fix It
Modern humans have developed a hubristic belief that every problem can be fixed through science and technology. To some extent, this mindset has driven progress. Vaccines have eradicated diseases, and technological advances have lifted millions out of poverty.
But this approach has limits.
Firstly, we risk overdoing the “fix it” approach and causing more harm. This is called iatrogenic- where the cure is worse than the disease.
Take antibiotics for instance- an apt symbol of modernity. Used in moderation, it can lead to miraculous cures & recoveries. But overdo it (as all of us seem to be doing), and it can cause revenge effects- resulting in pathogens developing resistance and finding new ways to infect us, increasing our vulnerability. (I’m not even getting into the ill effects of overdosing).
But more importantly, attempting to wholly solve the problem of suffering is a denial of human nature. We’re wired to crave things and suffer when we don’t get them- it’s part of our condition. Attempting to fix it (or eliminate it), would be to eliminate the very idea of being human itself.
Think about it. Where do we get our art, philosophy, religion, politics, and technology from? In some ways, these are all cultural artifacts we’ve created to rebel against suffering.
We create art to act as catharsis and deal with pain. We invented religion to tame our existential anxieties. We come up with politics to organize better and end the suffering created by war, corruption, and greed.
But what if we inhabited a world devoid of all suffering? In such a reality, we’d have no reason to engage in these endeavors. There would be little inspiration for our art, little reason to think about how to solve humanity’s problems (and therefore engage in philosophy), or invent new technologies like the elevator or the dildo.
Looking at it this way, we come to a profound realization: that suffering is the very thing that gives us meaning. A world devoid of suffering would be devoid of inspiration. There’d be no reason to paint, write, or invent.
The absence of suffering is not utopia—it’s emptiness. Meaning, as paradoxical as it sounds, is built on the foundation of pain.
Face It
Nietzsche believed modernity was dulling our souls, making us so comfortable that we’ve become incapable of dealing with suffering. We’ve become such wimps that even the thought of an injection is enough to cause violent shivering. (Mind you, he was critiquing this scourge of modernity almost 200 years ago).
He argued that suffering should be embraced as a force that shapes us, much like an artist chisels marble to create a masterpiece.
Great discoveries, he said, arise from great pain. Our darkest moments force us to innovate, to adapt, and to grow stronger. Or as gym bros trying to do 35 kg bicep curls like to say, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.
The Stoics echo this sentiment. Epictetus taught that suffering ceases to exist if we harmonize ourselves with nature. Through amor fati—the love of fate—we accept life’s trials as they come, instead of whining about minor inconveniences like a Blinkit order arriving two and a half minutes late.
This mindset aligns with what I find to be the most profound way of confronting suffering: Vipassana meditation.
Vipassana Meditation
Vipassana embodies the paradox of suffering: it fixes our relationship with pain by teaching us to face it.
Rediscovered by the Buddha, this ancient psychotechnology operates at the deepest levels of the mind, where words and logic cannot reach. Vipassana trains you to accept reality as it is, not as you’d like it to be.
Unlike therapy, books, or podcasts—which work at the surface level—Vipassana rewires the mind to view suffering without resistance. It dissolves the craving and aversion that magnify pain. Over time, this practice transforms how you experience life itself.
The paradox of suffering is that we must both strive to fix it and embrace it. Vipassana, for me, represents the perfect balance—it teaches us to face reality as it is, and in doing so, subtly transforms our relationship with suffering.
In the end, perhaps the true purpose of suffering is not to be escaped, but to be embraced as the forge where meaning and humanity are created.
Thanks for reading! Check out the book 7 Ways Of Looking At Pointless Suffering if you liked this piece. And if you want to read some more fascinating stuff, also check out:
Sahil, thank you for this thoughtful and beautifully written piece. I really appreciate the depth of insight you’ve brought to such a universal topic. One thing that particularly stood out to me is how your article takes it as a given that suffering is an inherent part of the human condition—a foundation that sets the stage for everything else you explore. It’s a refreshing perspective in a world that often seems desperate to deny or escape that reality.
I love how you’ve unpacked the paradox of fixing and facing suffering, especially with the nod to Vipassana as a way to transform our relationship with pain. Building on that, I’d venture to suggest something I’ve written about myself: that approaching suffering not just as something to endure, but as a means of growth, can actually cultivate a sense of contentment—not merely despite the suffering, but because of it. There’s a strange alchemy in embracing hardship as a catalyst for becoming more fully human.
And I think religious people might have it even easier here. For those with faith, no suffering is truly pointless—it’s woven into a larger tapestry of meaning, whether as redemption, refinement, or a mystery to be trusted. That belief can lighten the load in a way that’s hard to replicate without it. Anyway, just some thoughts your piece sparked—thanks again for sharing such a rich reflection!