A Philosophy of Discomfort (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781861899033)

A hard chair. An embarrassing conversation. A mosquito bite. All these provoke in us a sense of discomfort, whether an irksome sensation or an experience of unpleasantness. While we normally define "discomfort" simply as a lack of comfort, it is unclear which came first--comfort or the lack of it.

A Philosophy of Discomfort explores comfort and discomfort as historical and philosophical concepts, viewing these ideas as a constant push and pull of opposing forces. Arguing that comfort is a relative state that changes as our concept of well-being evolves, Jacques Pezeu-Massabuau observes our notions of comfort over time, with particular consideration to examples of housing and interiors--in Japanese housing, the Moroccan casbah, and modern city apartments, some aspects of discomfort, or the physical lack of well-being, are tolerated and accepted. Despite the human instinct to avoid discomfort, Pezeu-Massabuau contends that people must recognize the uncomfortable as necessary to existence and suggests they learn to use discomfort as another kind of pleasure, a new hedonism, or simply a new way to achieve well-being. Unraveling the myths of modern comfort, this book serves as a guide to integrating disorder into our daily lives.

Author: Jacques Pezeu-Massabuau
ISBN-10: 1861899033
ISBN-13: 9781861899033
Publisher: Reaktion Books
Language: English
Published: 06/15/2012
Pages: 128
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.22lbs
Size: 7.70h x 4.60w x 0.50d

Review Citation(s):
Choice 01/01/2013