Emotions: A negative or a positive thing?

[Ferbian]

There's a long list of emotions that we all have, which I'm not gonna get into, because I'm expecting you all to know those, but some of them, could be considered a negative thing, such as hatred, jealousy etc. and some can be considered a good thing, such as happiness, love etc.

These emotions has always been known to make us do crazy things, murder comes from emotions, cheating comes from emotions, sex comes from (somewhat) emotions etc. and some of them are all caused by the emotions in a way that could be considered blinding, to the term of "seeing red" or "blinded by love" where we will be doing things that is completely out of our control (without the influence, or potentially with the influence of alcohols, or drugs etc.)

The question is, should we be considered the fact that we have emotions, and are able to enjoy the benefits that certainly follows with emotions, even considering the bad things it can drag along as well.

Should we therefore consider emotions as a negative weakness, or a mentally positive strength of the human systems?

Personally I have to admit I'm torn, due to the fact that we have all these negative, and positive emotions all mixed up, sometimes one interferes with the other, such as jealousy through love, in ways that can prove to be, both negative, and positive ways, all depending on what, and how they interfere.

While I do think that emotions is a great thing because without them, we're gonna miss out on a lot of things, something that the so called emotionless people are missing out, and I think life would prove to be an even smaller "joyful ride" than if it would be with the emotions, even considering we have to deal with all the messed up emotions and things that follow through that.

So, while I'm torn, I'm leaning mostly to a positive thing.

But how about you dear WZ poster? do you agree with me, or disagree?

 

[SalvIsWin]

Interesting topic, kudos. This is a difficult subject to discuss, because clearly any one of us cannot accurately describe the other side because we all do have emotions. Certainly there are positives and negatives for having emotions, but I find it's much easier to list the negatives than it is the positives, and the positives are flawed in a way. For example, one positive of emotions would be love or genuine joy. Such feelings are arguably what we live for, however a flaw with these emotions are that an emotionless person wouldn't know of these feelings, and clearly by definition wouldn't care. If that is the case, would we really have a leg up upon those with out emotions?

The negatives are easy to list and clearly inferior. Our emotions can lead us to make irrational choices, commiting atrocious behaviours in a fit of passion for instance, and things of the like. As a big proponent of logical and rational thoughts, in a way you have to envy the thought of being emotionless, you would have no weaknesses in that sense and would be perfectly able to assess situations unbiasedly and choose the best course of action.

That being said (playing devil's advocate with my own argument for a minute), I suppose one could argue that an emotionless being would be unable to assess and predict actions of emotional beings and would be at a disadvantage, as in a way they are lacking knowledge in that area. In another sense, our emotions have helped the survival of our species. There is a very good evolutionary reasons why a baby is cute for example, the babies cuteness will help create attachment with those that can help it survive, as it is incapable of caring or providing for itself.

We are adept at creating empathy amongst others, such is a way of receiving help. Some societies were built entirely on altruism and that is how they survived, had they not had empathy for the less fortunate and helped out, they wouldn't have received help themselves if they fell on hard times, and thus in an evolutionary sense our emotions have helped us.

With that being said, I would think an intelligent unemotional being could understand a system of reciprocation, so it's not even a lock whether or not emotional beings would be the only ones capable of this system for survival. Like I said earlier, interesting topic, reminds me a bit of the Matrix.

 

[LigerBomb]

Emotion, purely in terms of motivation for actions i.e. the metaphysical -> the physical, is simply another tool in the tool box, for lack of a better term. How you deal with them and how you use them to justify what you do is largely up to you. Therefor in and of themselves they are probably neither negative or positive; they just are.

 

[Cena's Little Helper]

Save for the emotions that come with having a conscience, the emotions that arise when you have feelings for other people fucking suck, and I'd be happy to live without them.

However, I would like to keep the elation I feel after accomplishing goals and mastering difficult academic subjects and the tranquility I feel after having an orgasm; I very much like those particular emotions.

 

[Supernova]

Emotions are good they're the only reason you enjoy anything in life. Otherwise we'd just be organisms looking to survive and reproduce. Anyone who thinks emotions are a bad thing needs to think about it properly.

 

[Ferbian]

Emotions are good they're the only reason you enjoy anything in life. Otherwise we'd just be organisms looking to survive and reproduce. Anyone who thinks emotions are a bad thing needs to think about it properly.

Emotions aren't necessarily always a good thing neither when you do think about it, considering the amount of bad things coming from emotions.

While I do agree that emotions is a good thing, I said that as well that I was leaning towards it, but we can't deny the fact that many horrible things are a result of feelings for the most of it.

Any murder committed is because of a feeling, or lack of thereof, any argument is based on an emotion etc. there's a lot of bad things with emotions, and there's a lot of good things.

It's all about what you really prefer, so I wouldn't say there's a need to tell people they need to rethink their situation if they'd live without emotions.

 

[LigerBomb]

Emotions aren't necessarily always a good thing neither when you do think about it, considering the amount of bad things coming from emotions.

^This^ is what I'm talking about. "Bad things" that come from emotional triggers don't necessarily mean the emotions were negative in and of themselves. It's doesn't work that way. Nor does the chain of guilt work backwards towards implication. Negative/Bad/immoral/damaging actions that take place or are initiated because of emotions do not in turn make the precursory emotions "bad" nor do positive outcomes make then "good". Supposedly "good" emotions can have positive and negative action outcomes. Likewise "bad" emotions can do the same. Hell, long term outcomes that looked initially positive can turn or become negative given time, and vice versa; does that mean the emotional impetus changes too? Once again, emotions just are. They don't fit within the narrow confines and definitions of right and wrong, good and bad, or positive and negative.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

Emotions in and of themselves are really positive or negative, but rather how we act upon our emotions that determines which label they're given. As a Corrections Officer, I've seen a pretty good example of some of the negative aspects assigned to certain emotions. In the facility where I work, there are men sent there convicted of assault, involuntary manslaughter, murder, etc. and the vast majority of them have attempted to use the "I just snapped" defense as an excuse for their actions. They caught their lover in bed with someone else, they got into a fight with someone that called their mother a bad name, they got into such a heated argument with their spouse that they went ballistic on them and have no memory of what happened, etc. I don't believe I've ever seen anyone so caught up in the moment of emotion that they lost all conscious thoughts of what they were doing. To be perfectly honest, I don't know that I believe that anyone can become so emotional.

We've all seen, heard and read about instances in which people say that they just feel a certain way about this, or a certain way towards this person, etc. and they can't help the way they feel or that they didn't mean for this to happen but it just simply happened. We've particularly heard such excuses when it comes to those attempting to somehow justify affairs. While I do believe that emotions do often govern how we behave and act sometimes, I do think that we can control those impulses and emotions in virtually all situations. For instance, I may think my best friend's girlfriend is a world class hottie or I might be in love with her, but I can choose not to act on those emotions if that's what I want to do.

If you look at art, literature, theater, film, television or even how you conduct yourself in your own life at times; you can see the positive influences that certain emotions can generate for yourself or even society in general. I think that the primary problem is that there are simply far too many people that attempt to use a lack of emotional control as a crutch in order to avoid taking responsibility for their choices or how they conduct themselves.

 

[TheOneBigWill]

Emotions are always a positive, even in a negative light. As someone once said.. pain and suffering through emotions help us to understand life, and to help us know we're still alive.

To live in a world with no emotions, would be to live in a world with no regret. No remorse. No soul, to be quite honest. You could do what you want. Say what you want. Act how you want. And not feel a bit bad or good, in relation to it. Where is the fun in that? Where is the punishment in that?

Whether anyone understands it or not, you need to be punished in life - to learn lessons and be taught things you can't understand by being positive all the time.

Take losing a loved one. It hurts. Its painful. Its tragic, even. But in feeling the pain of emotions over the loss - you are brought to also recall and remember all the wonderful moments of joy and happiness. Every bit of which, are increased 10 fold to help you see exactly how much they meant to you. Why do you think so many people never know what they had - until its gone.

It takes pain, to truly feel happiness. It takes tragedy, to truly be alive.

 

[TheAnimal]

You need emotions but i think you need logical reasoning to go with it.
If you think no emotions = no feelings of love, happiness, joy, enjoyment. We probably wouldnt be on this forum right now because we would not have the emotions towards wrestling to put us on here and express them.
I know that sometimes people can commit crimes because of emotions, but we have heard of the "emotioless psychopath".

 

[Vega]

Emotions are what makes a life lifeworth. Without emotions, we would be something near plants. Despite I think even a plant gets positive "body" reactions when being able to suck water or do photosynthesis. Emotions are appeals to live.

You say, emotions can be the reason for bad actions. But without emotions, there simply is no good or bad. I prefer to have a life with good and bad situations than a life in emptiness I have no relation to. If you negate emotions, you negate everything in life you know, feel, like and remember.