May 26, 2021 --Week 6
Differences in Emotional Expressivity
A novelist can express emotion in their characters through an extensive list of adjectives that help us all to realize what that character is feeling. For example, cheerful, excited, delighted, warm, sympathetic, all express positive feelings which we can all understand. Conversely, if the author used words such as dreadful, obnoxious, heavy, or resentful, we again would understand the negative emotions this character is feeling. Even less polarizing emotions have words to describe them such as bashful, stoic, mysterious, or intelligent. Yet, when we are dealing with people and their emotions--not words--it is much more difficult to interpret. And when the people are from different cultures which all have different unspoken rules for publicly expressing those emotions, understanding and interpreting cues can be extremely difficult. So how do we react to other peoples' emotions in public? What is appropriate and what is taboo?
Studies have shown that across all cultures we generally express our emotions in private in a similar manner. But in public, every culture reveals their feelings very differently and in varying degrees. From the very expressive Italians to the very stoic Asians, the people may feel the same thing--but they do not show it in the same way. And for someone trying to respond to them appropriately, it may be very easy to misinterpret their feelings.
From the Bible we learn that Jesus experienced these same emotions. It tells us that Jesus wept; felt compassion; loved; grieved; and sighed. He groaned and was in agony. He marveled, and rejoiced. So our exemplar felt and expressed these same feelings. We are also told to deal honestly one with another--and to be cheerful; to have joy; to show glad hearts and countenances, and to rejoice. Thus my supposition is that I will try to react to emotional situations with honesty and treat others in their emotional situations as I would like to be treated. Also, I will try to show kindness if others do not react the way I expect. Mostly, it seems that if I do not judge others I will be a lot better off myself!
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