{"id":94696,"date":"2023-03-04T13:41:00","date_gmt":"2023-03-04T17:41:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=94696"},"modified":"2023-03-13T12:33:55","modified_gmt":"2023-03-13T16:33:55","slug":"suffering-is-inevitable","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/suffering-is-inevitable\/","title":{"rendered":"Suffering Is Inevitable: Here&#8217;s Why You Should Embrace It"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Is suffering inevitable? Does everyone experience suffering?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you ever feel alone when you&#8217;re having a tough day, just remember that someone else is also having a bad day. Because <em>The Book of Joy <\/em>by Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama clarifies that suffering is a universal experience that no one can avoid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Read on to learn why suffering is inevitable, and how you can cope with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-suffering-is-a-universal-human-experience\"><strong>Suffering Is a Universal Human Experience<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>According to Tutu and the Dalai Lama, <strong>suffering is inevitable and universal<\/strong>. Every person experiences suffering, whether it\u2019s the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/death-of-a-loved-one\/\">loss of a loved one<\/a> or the trauma of war. In response to suffering, we often feel negative emotions like sadness or loneliness. However, recognizing that suffering is inevitable for everybody can be a balm against it because suffering is one of the things that connects us to other people.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: Viktor Frankl, a survivor of a WWII concentration camp and author of <a href=\"https:\/\/shortform.com\/app\/book\/man-s-search-for-meaning\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Man\u2019s Search for Meaning<\/em><\/a>, explains that <a href=\"https:\/\/wya.net\/reading-a-mans-search-for-meaning-in-manhattan\/#:~:text=Thus%2C%20suffering%20completely%20fills%20the,some%20point%20in%20our%20lives.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">suffering is a subjective experience<\/a>, meaning that there\u2019s no objective measure of suffering. Whether you\u2019ve lost your eyesight or your beloved childhood dog, you\u2019ve suffered. Therefore, you can empathize with anyone\u2019s experience of suffering, regardless of what their suffering looks like, or whether or not it\u2019s the same as yours.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sadness<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Sadness is often a source of suffering. However, Tutu and the Dalai Lama explain that while <strong>sadness and joy may seem like polar opposites, they\u2019re actually inextricably linked.<\/strong> Sadness is often the direct route to empathy and compassion because grief and loss allow you to more clearly see your need and affection for other people. It\u2019s often during periods of sadness or experiences of loss that we reach for one another for comfort or solidarity. Psychologists have found that mild sadness has a number of benefits, including better judgment, increased motivation, and greater generosity and well-being.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: Susan Cain delves into the relationship between joy and sadness in her book <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Bittersweet-Sorrow-Longing-Make-Whole\/dp\/0451499786\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Bittersweet<\/em><\/a>. She argues that bittersweetness, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/feeling-of-longing\/\">feeling of longing<\/a> or sorrow, helps us transcend personal and collective pain and build closer relationships with one another. When we refuse to acknowledge sadness, she explains, we run the risk of inadvertently causing harm, further isolating ourselves or others.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tutu and the Dalai Lama suggest finding meaning and purpose in your sadness. For example, when a loved one dies, use it as inspiration to be more intentional about living in ways that honor their memory. Grief can also act as a reminder of the richness of love. If you didn\u2019t care deeply for someone, you\u2019d feel nothing when they\u2019re gone. Sadness reveals the depth of our capacity to love<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: <a href=\"https:\/\/psychcentral.com\/depression\/how-to-find-sense-of-purpose-when-depressed#finding-purpose-again\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">People living with depression often struggle to find or identify a sense of purpose<\/a>. Psychologists recommend that if you\u2019re feeling lost, it can help to do something for someone else, however small. For example, do a chore without being asked, call someone to check in, or give a stranger a compliment.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Loneliness<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>According to Tutu and the Dalai Lama, sadness and loneliness often go hand in hand. The world is facing an epidemic of loneliness, which is further fueled by a culture of materialism that values production over connection, love, friendship, or community. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: The Covid-19 pandemic <a href=\"https:\/\/www.apa.org\/news\/press\/releases\/2022\/05\/covid-19-increase-loneliness\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">exacerbated existing problems of social isolation and loneliness<\/a>. Although the death tolls declined and many countries lifted their emergency declarations, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theatlantic.com\/health\/archive\/2022\/02\/covid-pandemic-immunocompromised-risk-vaccines\/622094\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">immunocompromised people have continued to struggle with isolation<\/a>, even after many of their friends and colleagues transitioned back to normal life.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Understanding that suffering is universal can empower you to approach people with compassion and openness. Every person experiences suffering; therefore, regardless of a person\u2019s actions, you have the opportunity to feel closer to them by showing compassion for the ways in which they\u2019re suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: If you\u2019re feeling lonely, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/publication\/49591624_Self-compassion_and_Loneliness\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">start with self-compassion<\/a>. Studies have shown that self-compassion\u2014being kind to yourself\u2014decreases loneliness, while self-judgment and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/stop-negative-self-talk\/\">negative self-talk<\/a> lead to increased feelings of loneliness.)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Is suffering inevitable? Does everyone experience suffering? If you ever feel alone when you&#8217;re having a tough day, just remember that someone else is also having a bad day. Because The Book of Joy by Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama clarifies that suffering is a universal experience that no one can avoid. Read on to learn why suffering is inevitable, and how you can cope with it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":18695,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21,6],"tags":[927],"class_list":["post-94696","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-philosophy","category-spiritual","tag-the-book-of-joy","","tg-column-two"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.3 (Yoast SEO v24.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Suffering Is Inevitable: Here&#039;s Why You Should Embrace It - Shortform Books<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Knowing that suffering is inevitable is a tough pill to swallow, but essential for a good life. Read here to feel comfortable with suffering.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/suffering-is-inevitable\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Suffering Is Inevitable: Here&#039;s Why You Should Embrace It\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Knowing that suffering is inevitable is a tough pill to swallow, but essential for a good life. Read here to feel comfortable with suffering.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/suffering-is-inevitable\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Shortform Books\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-03-04T17:41:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-03-13T16:33:55+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/wordpress.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/paradoxical-intention-search-for-meaning-scaled.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1700\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Katie Doll\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Katie Doll\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/suffering-is-inevitable\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/suffering-is-inevitable\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Katie Doll\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/c3e1b539e89423b544ede91ab2bff937\"},\"headline\":\"Suffering Is Inevitable: Here&#8217;s Why You Should Embrace It\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-03-04T17:41:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-03-13T16:33:55+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/suffering-is-inevitable\/\"},\"wordCount\":686,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/suffering-is-inevitable\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/paradoxical-intention-search-for-meaning-scaled.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"The Book of Joy\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Philosophy\",\"Spiritual\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/suffering-is-inevitable\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/suffering-is-inevitable\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/suffering-is-inevitable\/\",\"name\":\"Suffering Is Inevitable: Here's Why You Should Embrace It - Shortform Books\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/suffering-is-inevitable\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/suffering-is-inevitable\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/paradoxical-intention-search-for-meaning-scaled.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-03-04T17:41:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-03-13T16:33:55+00:00\",\"description\":\"Knowing that suffering is inevitable is a tough pill to swallow, but essential for a good life. Read here to feel comfortable with suffering.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/suffering-is-inevitable\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/suffering-is-inevitable\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/suffering-is-inevitable\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/paradoxical-intention-search-for-meaning-scaled.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/paradoxical-intention-search-for-meaning-scaled.jpg\",\"width\":2560,\"height\":1700},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/suffering-is-inevitable\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Suffering Is Inevitable: Here&#8217;s Why You Should Embrace It\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Shortform Books\",\"description\":\"The World&#039;s Best Book Summaries\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Shortform Books\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/logo-equilateral-with-text-no-bg.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/logo-equilateral-with-text-no-bg.png\",\"width\":500,\"height\":74,\"caption\":\"Shortform Books\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/c3e1b539e89423b544ede91ab2bff937\",\"name\":\"Katie Doll\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6239731a3fc739640b80be30f2b1727a055d3535d0ee4569e8282faa323e47fc?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6239731a3fc739640b80be30f2b1727a055d3535d0ee4569e8282faa323e47fc?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Katie Doll\"},\"description\":\"Somehow, Katie was able to pull off her childhood dream of creating a career around books after graduating with a degree in English and a concentration in Creative Writing. Her preferred genre of books has changed drastically over the years, from fantasy\/dystopian young-adult to moving novels and non-fiction books on the human experience. Katie especially enjoys reading and writing about all things television, good and bad.\",\"knowsAbout\":[\"Bachelor of Arts in English With a Concentration in Creative Writing\"],\"jobTitle\":\"Senior SEO Writer\",\"worksFor\":\"Shortform\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/author\/katie\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Suffering Is Inevitable: Here's Why You Should Embrace It - Shortform Books","description":"Knowing that suffering is inevitable is a tough pill to swallow, but essential for a good life. Read here to feel comfortable with suffering.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/suffering-is-inevitable\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Suffering Is Inevitable: Here's Why You Should Embrace It","og_description":"Knowing that suffering is inevitable is a tough pill to swallow, but essential for a good life. Read here to feel comfortable with suffering.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/suffering-is-inevitable\/","og_site_name":"Shortform Books","article_published_time":"2023-03-04T17:41:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2023-03-13T16:33:55+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2560,"height":1700,"url":"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/wordpress.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/paradoxical-intention-search-for-meaning-scaled.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Katie Doll","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Katie Doll","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/suffering-is-inevitable\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/suffering-is-inevitable\/"},"author":{"name":"Katie Doll","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/c3e1b539e89423b544ede91ab2bff937"},"headline":"Suffering Is Inevitable: Here&#8217;s Why You Should Embrace It","datePublished":"2023-03-04T17:41:00+00:00","dateModified":"2023-03-13T16:33:55+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/suffering-is-inevitable\/"},"wordCount":686,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/suffering-is-inevitable\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/paradoxical-intention-search-for-meaning-scaled.jpg","keywords":["The Book of Joy"],"articleSection":["Philosophy","Spiritual"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/suffering-is-inevitable\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/suffering-is-inevitable\/","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/suffering-is-inevitable\/","name":"Suffering Is Inevitable: Here's Why You Should Embrace It - Shortform Books","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/suffering-is-inevitable\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/suffering-is-inevitable\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/paradoxical-intention-search-for-meaning-scaled.jpg","datePublished":"2023-03-04T17:41:00+00:00","dateModified":"2023-03-13T16:33:55+00:00","description":"Knowing that suffering is inevitable is a tough pill to swallow, but essential for a good life. Read here to feel comfortable with suffering.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/suffering-is-inevitable\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/suffering-is-inevitable\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/suffering-is-inevitable\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/paradoxical-intention-search-for-meaning-scaled.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/paradoxical-intention-search-for-meaning-scaled.jpg","width":2560,"height":1700},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/suffering-is-inevitable\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Suffering Is Inevitable: Here&#8217;s Why You Should Embrace It"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/","name":"Shortform Books","description":"The World&#039;s Best Book Summaries","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"Shortform Books","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/logo-equilateral-with-text-no-bg.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/logo-equilateral-with-text-no-bg.png","width":500,"height":74,"caption":"Shortform Books"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/c3e1b539e89423b544ede91ab2bff937","name":"Katie Doll","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6239731a3fc739640b80be30f2b1727a055d3535d0ee4569e8282faa323e47fc?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6239731a3fc739640b80be30f2b1727a055d3535d0ee4569e8282faa323e47fc?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Katie Doll"},"description":"Somehow, Katie was able to pull off her childhood dream of creating a career around books after graduating with a degree in English and a concentration in Creative Writing. Her preferred genre of books has changed drastically over the years, from fantasy\/dystopian young-adult to moving novels and non-fiction books on the human experience. Katie especially enjoys reading and writing about all things television, good and bad.","knowsAbout":["Bachelor of Arts in English With a Concentration in Creative Writing"],"jobTitle":"Senior SEO Writer","worksFor":"Shortform","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/author\/katie\/"}]}},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/paradoxical-intention-search-for-meaning-scaled.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94696","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=94696"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94696\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":95499,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94696\/revisions\/95499"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18695"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=94696"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=94696"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=94696"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}