Through our own experience of pain we develop empathy for others, as when an embarrassing incident in our past reminds us to use tact. Through pain we become motivated to change, as when the frustration of a dead-end job le ads us to find another. Through pain we broaden our depth of understanding, as when a failed relationship teaches us not to make the same mistakes again. It would be a hellish vision to believe that pain is at the core of our human experience. There are clearly routes other than discomfort or suffering to achieve greater awareness.
Reward can be an effective motivator, as well as punishment.
We are gene tically hardwired to avoid pain. If the means were at our disposal to avoid pain, I doubt that most people would willingly experience it, even for the sake of their personal growth. However, the personality-enhancers we are discussing would not necessarily alleviate all forms of pain and discomfort. Like Prozac at its most widely-acting they would shift aspects of personality towards the cultural ideal and would merely shield from oversensitivity to pain. The idea of personality-enhancers makes most people uncomfortable, including myself.