The Neglected Realm of Emotion
We often exalt literature as one of humanity’s highest art forms, analyzing its techniques as if mastery of language is the pinnacle of understanding. But in doing so, we may be overlooking something more fundamental: the study of emotion that great writing strives to convey.
Language is powerful, but it is ultimately just a tool. The genius lies in the emotional insights that writers aim to communicate. Great literature can move and transform us, but we err if we mistake the beauty of the prose for the profound truths it uncovers.
Underlying the power of language is the vast, vital world of human emotion. Our inner lives are what give meaning to existence. Yet our society operates on behaviorism. Which ignores the crucial task of understanding and nurturing healthy emotions. We invest heavily in developing technical skills, but invest almost nothing into cultivating empathy, resilience that serves one personally, and well-being. Our psychology offers very little comprehension of emotions when compared to the study of literature.
We have built a civilization at the expense of neglecting the emotional foundations that underpin it. We celebrate linguistic virtuosity but overlook the urgent work of comprehending the tides of feeling that shape humanity. The focus on math and science has come at the cost of the profound enigmas within ourselves.
We need a fundamental shift in priorities. We MUST take the realm of emotion as seriously as other domains of knowledge. This means investing in research and education to deepen our understanding of emotional life. It means valuing wisdom before we value eloquence. Ultimately, it means recognizing that the point of all our striving is not to create or be better tools, but to be healthy, whole humans.
Language will always be invaluable in our path for self-understanding. It allows us to convey the intricacies of human experience. But it is a means, not an end. Our real focus and goal should be to cultivate emotional understanding — in ourselves and in our society — so that we may fully realize our shared humanity. Only then we will we see the true value of our literature grow.
