Comfort?

Saw this article in the New York Times, " A Bed Where Comfort is Not the Point" by John Tagliabue
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/25/world/europe/25stockholm.html
The article suggests that the discomfort actually creates more comfort- an interesting concept. I have been thinking, quite a bit actually, about contrast as a means to create awareness- but does contrast actually lead to more comfort? It leads to a greater connection to an experience by engaging more of you. Like the lyrics from the Modest Mouse song "if there is no beauty without pain then I'd rather never see beauty again"- it seems that contrast is what makes one thing so great- when you compare it to something not so great. For example a good book seems good following a mediocre book but seems lame after a fantastic one. Life unfortunately sets us up for this predicament regularly... things are going well- then the restlessness sets in- then you want it to be better. Say you succeed its better- with time that becomes the norm and you seek more... The "bad things" that happen to us, check us, remind us that we are fortunate. So how can we make our life better without having that set high, and probably false, expectations?

Getting Started...

This blog is a collection of thoughts, articles and products that seek to improve our quality of life. Quality of life is typically measured on a scale from 1-10, as an evaluation; I am looking for ways to improve both the perception and the actual quality of life through design.