Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Emotions

So, I need some emotion-labeling help. Some scenarios:

1) you give up something you love (let's call this "AAA") for something else that you love ("BBB"). You fully recognize that BBB is not only for the better, but for the best. 100% BBB is the best choice, and you are eternally happy with that choice. However, every once and a while, you wish you could have stuck with AAA. What emotion is this? It's not regret, it's not unhappy, it's not envy...what is it?

2) you believe that you really could be an important, famous artist (though deep down you know (1) it's completely untrue and (2) you produce zero art on a yearly basis). It's not quite delusion, it's not quite unearned confidence, it's not envy or jealousy. Could it be unresolved passion? Not really b/c you would think passion would somehow manifest itself...so what is it?

3) you really want to (desperately want to) read more, but you end up watching junk TV most nights. But you really want to read more and are in fact in the middle of three books. But you find yourself plopped in front of an America's Top Model marathon. Obviously, the latter emotion is apathy/laziness/regret, but what is that initial desire? What do you call it when you really want something but do nothing to attain it? ...what is it?

shanti,
mjh

3 comments:

Alison said...

I am totally not a deep thinker - sorry!

Unknown said...

4) here's another one. What do you call it when you find yourself fiercely defending something that you didn't know you cared about (or, truthfully, don't care about anymore). I don't live in my hometown anymore, and I haven't for over a decade. But I have found myself defending it...for no real reason at all. what is that?

Unknown said...

Oh, Alison, you have always been a deep thinker. I don't for a minute believe that you aren't. I think that is loyalty based on history, or is it blind distrust of current truth based on an unwillingness to believe the truth-teller? Now I am just completely confused...