Pain

(Note: If you have the time to watch this clip, it will improve the coherence of one of my examples).




Pain may be divided into two types: physical and emotional. Furthermore, it may be used in expressions. According to the OED, the word "pain" was first recorded around the 1300s. Its initial definition, as stated in the OED, is "punishment; penalty; suffering or loss inflicted for a crime or offence; (sometimes) spec. a fine, a tax" and "[on/under/upon pain of ---]: with specified punishment, reaction, etc., as the penalty for not fulfilling the command or condition stated." For example, "on pain of death" - an idiom that is rarely used today (the OED shows in its date chart a leap of the usage of the word from 1959 to 2002) - would mean "liable to the penalty of death." In other words, the subject in question may be given the death penalty. In the modern era, however, expressions involving the word "pain" are mostly equivalent to something being a burden, such as: "Driving back and forth is a pain in the neck." Of course, there is no real "pain in the neck"; it is simply an expression. Unlike the 50 year gap of the first expression, the most recent dates recorded for this one are 1994 and 2000. "I feel your pain" is also another popular expression: although it may not be literal pain, the speaker is acknowledging the situation the listener is going through. The latter two expressions are less formal and more slang, reflecting the current generation's vernacular.

Physical pain is described as "physical or bodily suffering; a continuous, strongly unpleasant or agonizing sensation in the body (usually in a particular part), such as arises from illness, injury, harmful physical contact, etc." and "a single unpleasant or agonizing physical sensation" (OED). The best example is injury in sports. Professional athletes in rigorous sports need to be in outstanding shape to endure the pain their body takes day after day. A lack of rest takes a toll on athletes' bodies, rendering them more vulnerable to serious injuries. In addition, rushing rehabilitation or playing through injuries also hinders recovery time and performance. For example, Miami Heat star Dwayne Wade played through most of last season with a surgically repaired knee, which was not fully healed when he started the season. His premature return to the court led to continuous knee pains and prompted his eventual decision late in the season to shut down to guarantee a full recovery. The same goes for illness: if people who are sick do not take time to rest, their sickness may linger and last longer.

Finally, the OED's best definition for emotional pain is "mental distress or suffering; anguish, grief; an instance of this." Unlike physical pain, emotional pain affects the heart and mind. When emotionally stricken, the pain is not visibly apparent. Sometimes, the heart feels like it is being squeezed or crushed by an immortal hand; at other times, it turns as cold, hard and heavy as a large slab of marble. Amazingly, the feeling is so real that one could actually feel the weight and drag in his or her chest. The mind also undergoes demoralizing processes: it feels as if the world has turned upside down and a clear sunny day would instantly turn into an eternal solemn night. Furthermore, thoughts spin endlessly like they are whirling inside a tornado. Interestingly, humans are also able to feel the emotional pains of others. On the following episode in Smallville after the death of Jonathan Kent, Clark walks into his house and sees his mom watching an old videotape of his dad and him. Even though no words are spoken in a scene, excluding the video, one can feel Clark and Martha's pain, especially if he or she personally has suffered the loss of a loved one. The emotions that follow after watching a live memory of the one who had passed away strains the heart and may even induce tears. Moreover, the symbolism of Jonathan's waving goodbye on the TV further appeals to the emotional pain of viewers. Likewise, the emotional pain felt by Americans after 9/11 were broadcast over TV; even though the bystanders would not directly hurt, they still suffered from watching the horrendous sight of the crumbling Twin Towers. Emotional pain, in this context, negatively shapes Americans' attitudes towards certain races, even if they were no involved in the attack.

It is arguable that the presented examples of physical and emotional pain have existed throughout history. Thus, how does the current generation relate and redefine pain? In class, Truman brought up how war-themed video games appeal to gamers, even though war is truly gruesome and frightening in reality. In addition, Colleen commented on how her friend and her feelings had changed for him before, during and after his return, specifically mentioning how she was constantly worried about his well-being when he was gone and how things were different when he returned. Parika also pitched in on how she liked to "hurt" her friends when they mess around but knews the boundaries of what is and is not acceptable. Regarding war, there is a fine line between fantasy and reality: the fantasy - such as games - creates temporary emotional pain relating to fictional figures that eventually disappears, which is acceptable, whereas the reality - such as war - may truly physically and emotional harm the persons in question, which is intolerable and may remain forever. Also, paintballing and airsoft were brought up in class. They too exhibit boundaries between what is and is not acceptable. Truman said that when he goes paintballing with his friends, his goal (sometimes) is to target a specific friend and bruise him up. If the friend suffers a fatal injury, emotional pain is accompanied by physical pain and the boundary is crossed. Note that physical and emotional pain intersect each other in these situations.

When comparing these two different pains, however, which is worse? A search for "physical or emotional pain" in Yahoo! Answers resulted in mixed opinions. Some believe that physical pain - such as having amputated limbs - cannot be worse while others argue that emotional pain may last a lifetime and cause permanent detrimental effects to the mind. Nonetheless, pain is as inevitable as death; yet, it is a friendly reminder that we are all human.