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Beacons
Guiding us along the path of survival
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Our emotions act as beacons, guiding us along the treacherous path of survival.
Each of us is here only because all of our ancestors survived successfully enough to
procreate. The unbroken chain of our ancestry, conception, and birth extends
millions of years back in time.
The odds against our existence are astronomical, yet here we are! Each emotion
helped its host to adapt and survive as evolution relentlessly eliminated the
unfit. Emotions have helped our ancestors
successfully survive and reproduce in a treacherous world by overcoming many obstacles and dangers. The following table
identifies the virtue or survival goal that each emotion
guides us towards, along with the mechanism or message used to achieve that goal.
The last column identifies a strength that can help
to balance the emotion, cope with the emotion, or that is taught by the emotion.
| Emotion |
Virtue /
Goal |
Mechanism / Message |
Balance |
| Fear |
Safety |
Avoid danger or respond to it. |
Courage |
| Disgust |
Safety |
Avoid chemical toxins |
Caution |
| Surprise |
Safety |
Respond to danger. |
Perspective |
| Hate |
Safety |
Quickly separate friend from foe. Avoid noxious things. |
Kindness |
| Anger |
Justice |
Act now to preserve justice. |
Humor |
| Pride |
Status |
Reward for increasing status |
Humility |
| Envy |
Status |
Competitive stimulus for increasing status |
Humility |
| Shame |
Status |
Punishment for reduced status |
Prudence |
| Contempt |
Status |
Reward for sustaining higher status |
Kindness |
| Gloating |
Status |
Focuses attention on preventable status losses |
Kindness |
| Guilt |
Morals |
Punishment for moral transgression |
Integrity |
| Love |
Procreation |
Pursue sexual interests and care for children. |
Modesty |
| Jealousy |
Monogamy |
Punishment for promiscuity |
Loving |
| Anxiety |
Surveillance, Forethought |
Be aware of potential danger |
Optimism |
| Joy |
Achieve Goals |
Reward for making progress toward goals |
Perspective |
| Sadness |
Conscientiousness |
Punishment for failing to achieve goals |
Humor |
| Hope |
Aspiration, Persistence |
Persist, overcome obstacles, and achieve goals |
Critical Thinking |
| Relief |
Courage |
Reward for facing our fears and succeeding. |
Caution |
| Gratitude |
Reciprocal Altruism |
Appreciating altruism and encouraging reciprocity |
Discretion |
| Compassion |
Empathy |
Motivation to help others |
Industry |
| Depression |
Convalescence |
Retreat, rethink, and recover. |
Enthusiasm |
| Flow |
Industry, competence |
Continue this fascinating and engaging activity. |
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References
The Selfish Gene ,
by Richard Dawkins
The Origin of Emotions, by Mark Devon
[laz]
Passion and Reason: Making Sense of Our Emotions,
by Richard S.
Lazarus, Bernice N. Lazarus
[Ekm]
Emotions Revealed: Recognizing Faces and Feelings to Improve Communication and Emotional Life , by Paul Ekman
[OCC]
The Cognitive Structure of Emotions , by Andrew Ortony, Gerald L. Clore, Allan Collins
[Gol]
Destructive Emotions: A Scientific Dialogue with the Dalai Lama , by Daniel Goleman
Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life: Create Your Life, Your Relationships, and Your World in Harmony with Your Values , by
Marshall B. Rosenberg, Arun Gandhi
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Fear, Sadness, Anger, Joy, Surprise, Disgust, Contempt,
Anger, Envy, Jealousy, Fright, Anxiety, Guilt, Shame, Relief, Hope, Sadness, Depression, Happiness,
Pride, Love, Gratitude, Compassion, Aesthetic Experience,
Joy, Distress, Happy-for, Sorry-for, Resentment, Gloating, Pride, Shame, Admiration, Reproach,
Love, Hate, Hope, Fear, Satisfaction, Relief, Fears-confirmed, Disappointment, Gratification,
Gratitude, Anger, Remorse,
power, dominance, status, relationships |
