Why do we so often seek out physical pain and emotional turmoil? We go to movies that make us cry, we poke at sores, eat spicy foods, immerse ourselves in hot baths, run marathons. Where do these seemingly perverse appetites come from? Drawing on groundbreaking findings from psychology, Paul Bloom shows how the right kind of suffering sets the stage for enhanced pleasure, spur us to achieve our goals, and provide moral satisfactions.