Mourning

Most people equate emotions with humanity. Would we be less human without emotion? Are we more human with emotion? Is this where the concept of humane comes from?

Ironically, the topic of emotions is very emotionally charged. Would we be better without emotions? Would it really make us better. . . or worse? If we can't experience emotion will we still stive for power and greed?

Unfortunently, evading your emotions is far more of a challenge than it appears.

I know, I've tried.... but after repeated failures, I assumed it is acceptable to keep them as long as I remain aware of the situation at all times. If I was to become "absorbed" in something, that would be bad.

Anyone can repress even the strongest emotions, especially love, if they so choose.

And yes, a perfect world would be devoid of joy, but also hate, no love, but no fear, no pleasure, no pain. You would be able to see the world as it really is.

I doubt anyone can imagine such a world, but it sounds incredibly utopian.

Originally posted by Raideur
And yes, a perfect world would be devoid of joy, but also hate, no love, but no fear, no pleasure, no pain. You would be able to see the world as it really is.

I doubt anyone can imagine such a world, but it sounds incredibly utopian.

Sorry, Raideur, but I must respectfully disagree. It sound to me more like a land full of robots, not utopia.

I see how you might find it useful, not having your emtions getting involved with your decisions. Mr. Spock of Star Trek fame comes to mind.

*Grumbles*

I dont suppose you have any ideas on how to have the best of both worlds?

"I’ve built walls, A fortress deep and mighty, That none may penetrate.
I have no need of friendship, friendship causes pain.
It’s laughter and it’s loving I disdain.
I am a rock, I am an island.

Don’t talk of love, but I’ve heard the words before,
It’s sleeping in my memory.
I won’t disturb the slumber of feelings that have died.
If I never loved I never would have cried.
I am a rock, I am an island.
For a rock fells no pain, and an island never cries."—Simon and Garfunkel




[edit on 6/24/2005 by darkelf]

Originally posted by Raideur
I dont suppose you have any ideas on how to have the best of both worlds?

I almost hate to post after that excellent post of "I am a Rock" lyrics.

But, I think allowing in emotions, feeling pain after a loss, or loving a new puppy, can make you a stronger person.

I know someone IRL much like you appear to be.
Isolating yourself from painful experiences can slow down your brain. I think feelings are part of who we are and if we don't have them, we don't function well.

But, maybe I am misinterpreting where you are coming from.

Perhaps when you are confused or in mourning, shutting yourself out to everything could prove useful...

Being able to rationalize everything may make you unable to interact with others, and it may leave you with internal questions, but you are not afraid of anything, including loss.

Originally posted by darkelf
"I’ve built walls, A fortress deep and mighty, That none may penetrate.
I have no need of friendship, friendship causes pain.
It’s laughter and it’s loving I disdain.
I am a rock, I am an island.

Don’t talk of love, but I’ve heard the words before,
It’s sleeping in my memory.
I won’t disturb the slumber of feelings that have died.
If I never loved I never would have cried.
I am a rock, I am an island.
For a rock fells no pain, and an island never cries."—Simon and Garfunkel

[edit on 6/24/2005 by darkelf]

WOW I think its very strange we thought of the same song for this post....WOW weird I did respond, in the first page, but I almost quoted the very same lines ...A rock feels no pain and an island never dies.....I think that is VERY WEIRD>!

Raideur,

What would you do some random stranger walked up behind you, punched you in the back of the head, then walked casually away?

Originally posted by Raideur
Perhaps when you are confused or in mourning, shutting yourself out to everything could prove useful...

Being able to rationalize everything may make you unable to interact with others, and it may leave you with internal questions, but you are not afraid of anything, including loss.

Unfortunately though, shutting yourself out doesn't really mean that you're dealing with emotions, or dealing with a particular situation in a healthy way - just suppressing your feelings and perhaps adding to the problem.

Acknowledging them - allowing them to surface, and then dealing with them - might lead a clearer path to becoming able to deal with loss, and enable us to learn from the experience, too.

There is always a middle ground; traditional Buddhist belief in particular expresses a preference towards this, particularly where emotions are concerned.

Acknowledge them, deal with them, but don't let yourself be controlled by them....all of this is possible without closing yourself off to every feeling.

Supressing emotions never creates problems, it buries them.

Balance cannot be achieved if you are in conflict with yourself. (Said it before, I'll say it again.)

Originally posted by Raideur
Supressing emotions never creates problems, it buries them.

Balance cannot be achieved if you are in conflict with yourself. (Said it before, I'll say it again.)

Raideur, you err when you blame emotions. Emotional pain is often caused by unmet expectations. In this case the emotion is not to blame; it is your own expectations. Emotional control starts with you. Frustration is caused by an inability to control circumstances and other people. The realization that you only have control of your own actions is the key factor in learning to have a healthy emotional life. This means that you must reexamine your expectations and honestly decide whether they are realistic or not.

Another key is learning to create your own happiness rather than expecting others to do it for you. Most people are very social beings, but they have never learned to find contentment and happiness in their own selves. We are a society of neurotics feeding off of each other because we’ve never learned to feed off of ourselves. When you have learned who you are and can not only accept yourself but embrace yourself, then you are ready to work on your spirituality. Self centered narcissism involves lower emotions. But an embraced person can experience the spiritual higher emotions without conflict.

Suppressing emotions causes conflict. Burying problems only hides them from your focus for a short period of time. It does not remove them. Problems must be confronted and resolved or they will pop back up like a casket buried in New Orleans. Balance cannot be achieved if you are in conflict with yourself. You will always be in conflict with yourself until you learn to wholly accept and embrace your entire self.

Oh snap...how am I suppose to argue against that.....

I know good and well that humans are obviously unstable without people around for mutual support, but I also know that humans are also very adaptable and can change themselves to fit the situation, be it alone or not.

This is why I have the little search for the emotion removing pill going. It would simply be interesting to see what people would be like, be it zombies or geniuses. However, most people are appauled by the idea and as usual, its all linked together into their subconcious confusing them.

I think the concious mind can stand alone, but I may be wrong....