For centuries, philosophers have praised the benefits of reason as a power superior to emotion, especially when it comes to making decisions. Descartes, one of the greatest defenders of reason, advised: “Release all impressions of the senses and of the imagination, and trust only in reason.”
Centuries later, neuroscientist Antonio Damasio referred to Descartes’ profound error by writing: “Emotions are not a luxury […] They play a role in communicating meanings, and can also act as cognitive guides.”
After spending a long time denying the power of sensations, emotions and feelings, trying to hide them under the cold slabs of rationality, we have moved from rationalism to emotivism, realizing that emotions and feelings can be powerful compasses that guide our behavior.
Thus we have fallen into what we could classify as an authentic “dictatorship of emotions”, which extends its tentacles to all areas of society to turn us into highly suggestible and manipulable people.
The dangers of extremes
Without common sense to balance both worlds, falling into extremes is almost inevitable. Societies guided by sensation, moment, instincts and superstitions give rise to contexts such as those that led to the burning of “witches” while hyper-rational societies instrumentalize reason to distance and dehumanize, reaching extremes such as the Nazi extermination camps.
In a world where middle ground is not popular, emotions have taken over through subtle messages, but repeated in different contexts, formats and forms. Advertising no longer sells us products, but the emotions we will experience with them. We no longer buy services but experiences.
Slogans like “be yourself ” or “do what you feel ” are everywhere to promote emotionalism and impulsiveness. Meanwhile, the power makes money and political movements take profit, to the point that we are going to vote with our emotions, without really knowing the programs.
In 2005, political science researcher Ted Brader analyzed 1,425 political ads from 1999 and 2000 to determine what emotions they evoked in viewers. He found that 72 percent of the ads focused on emotion rather than logic. It would not be surprising if that percentage were infinitely higher today.
Most election campaigns broadcast what are known as “attack ads” that trigger emotions such as anger. This should not be surprising since it is an emotion that has enormous power to stimulate behavior, and Brader found that 61% of election ads are designed to generate anger.
If we vote based primarily on emotion, buy on impulse and share on social media the first thing that surprises or angers us, we are allowing ourselves to be dragged into the dangerous terrain of emotionalism. And when an emotional hijacking occurs at a social level, it is very difficult to turn back and find sanity.
Mesòtes, the art of practicing moderation
Reflective experience leads us – or at least should – to a common sense middle ground. Balance and moderation may not be as popular, but they are necessary. Aristotle believed that the virtue of moderation was not only a cornerstone for living a balanced and happy life, but also for avoiding becoming leaves blown by the wind of circumstances.
That’s why he promoted the “mesòtes,” or golden mean. Aristotle believed that nothing was intrinsically and absolutely good or bad, but that everything depended on the dose. For example, being extremely rational leads us to disconnect from our instinct, but being excessively emotional makes us impulsive.
By practicing moderation we find the courage to do things that are worth doing and the good sense to avoid taking unnecessary risks. Today’s world is designed to promote emotionality for fashion, business or domination, but living in an emotiocracy can lead us down very dangerous paths.
We must connect with our emotions and take note of the direction they indicate, but we also have to take account of reason. This mix is what can make us truly powerful, empowered and architects of our destiny – on a personal and social level – which is precisely what many do not want.
References:
Grüning, D. J. & Schubert, T. W. (2021) Emotional Campaigning in Politics: Being Moved and Anger in Political Ads Motivate to Support Candidate and Party. Front Psychol; 12: 781851.
Brader T. (2005) Campaigning for Hearts and Minds: How Emotional Appeals in Political Ads Work. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
