What I have learned to recognize, after over fifty years of counseling people, is their preference for “language” in framing their story in their request for help. Most today relay details for an event in “emotional language”; the victim or an unfairness tale. Some become defiant about being discounted or disrespected. Others are appalled at the indifference that people displayed in addressing their issues. Many are frightened or intimidated and fail to offer a counter or an explanation. Both “I love you” and “I hate you” are samples of emotional language. At those moments in your life, with experience both acting and expressing in emotional language, can you recall what happened to your logical thinking?
DNA confirms that we are an animal with “second cousins” in the ape kingdom. Emotion, the act of releasing energy to generate movement, is the impetus of stimulus/response. Some animals to limited degrees and all healthy humans can learn to process life via intelligent logical decision-making. A slower more deliberate process and not necessarily always the best response but the wider range of learned responses provides more options. We are not birthed with these skills but our brain immediately starts to observe and store data along with patterns for stimulus/response. We educate our children and young adults to develop skill and range for wise decision-making. It started with tribal tales around a campfire and lots of assigned practical tasks for skill development. Today the scope for education is huge and diverse but still wise to pursue multiple fields of study to secure integration in ranges of learning.
This system worked well for years developing a wiser and heather community. I witnessed this in my early years counseling with clients but over time their requests for assistance started to drift into emotional language range. We have become far more educated with the skill to explore and influence the unknown yet the drive for some form of control and instantaneous reward increases. I believe the advancements and reliance on computers is the impetus. Some fun info compiled by Twitter; “tweeting and retweeting enhances brain activity indicative of emotional arousal by 75 percent. Simply reading your feed increases your emotional arousal by 65 percent.” Your emotions are not a private process. Your feelings flow out and are absorbed by others both close and far. They are affecting both your well-being and others.
The high level of stimulus, the speed at which it operates and the lost of sleep that appears to be a byproduct of it produces a very emotionally unstable environment for us humans. Looking at the bigger picture of human development on this planet I would presume that in a few hundred years the race will somehow adapt. If you recall, at one time there were numerous types of houmous erectus on our planet. DNA confirms that all but one type has been wiped out and the population of humans on this planet dropped significantly for many years. My prediction is that human life will endure: in the meantime, it would be wise to take action to support a healthier experience on Earth. It is your life and your game so be wise in structuring the rules.
Chriss
