I am not sure what you mean by “news.” I think you might mean information we get from other people that is not based on our own experience. I agree that our thoughts are based on the environment we grow in and the information we are given. And, I understand exactly what you mean about how we become different. I would also add that we are born different, too. If you watch babies, you will see. Maybe you remember your siblings as babies. Some seem to be born happy, and some seem to be born easily frightened, for example. Different physiology, I guess, lays that foundation. Then comes experience and then when we have language we begin to get “educated.” Education is a kind of brain-washing, it is how all cultures strive to help their children fit in to the existing structure. Parents are our first educators. Unfortunately, our parents and the rest of the educators we encounter have limitations on their experience, their intelligence, their willingness and ability to communicate to us. So, we often get bad information, as well as the good. If we are lucky and smart, we will realize that and strive to find better and more accurate information. However, many people don’t even know what has happened, and they suffer greatly without having any idea what to do about it!
A lot of emotion starts from our thinking, but not all. I think there are at least two kinds of emotion. We are of course happy, sad, frustrated, etc. when our thinking matches or does not match the cause and effect relationships in the world. When we do what we think we should do and get a good outcome, we are happy. When we do what we think we should do and get a bad outcome, however, we are sad and frustrated. On the other hand, there are lots of emotions that have nothing to do with our thoughts. All the ones that are wired into us at conception. Grief we feel at separation, no matter how much we “think” we have made a good choice. Pleasure when we are touched by a caring person. Love…
I used to think that emotion was the “perfect phenomena”. Now I don’t think so. Sometimes it gives great guidance. Fear, for example, can protect me, but it can also prevent me from trying something new and growing. Love can cause me to become confused in many ways that can be harmful.
I like the idea that positive emotions are the motivating cause for civilization. Most people I know talk about civilization being caused negative emotions: one strong man’s desire for power and control, usually. I always wondered how that could be possible if the larger group did not want it. They must get something out of it, or they would walk away.
I think it is true that people want to be together. We need a community. We need a family. Americans unfortunately are getting more and more isolated. Families are spread out all over the country. More and more people are living alone. We are getting more and more unhappy, especially as we age. We have lots of “stuff”, but not much love and joy. Without those two things, it is difficult to find a purpose to live and overcome the difficulties of living.
This is a good, challenging topic. Thanks for inviting me to respond!
One of my Reader: April Bresgal
