One thing that has always stuck with me and helped contextualise what emotions are and how they exist and function in a really accessible way I think is how Dr Lisa Feldman Barret summarises emotions (which I find intersects with much of what Brene Brown says about Vulnerability and how it intersects with Self) and that is essentially that 'emotions are stories we tell ourselves, they're a narrative lense and a meaning making perceptual process, they're how we understand our sensations and affect within the context they're occurring based on our past experiences and the expectations set by those and by our sociocultural norms. They're constructed, predictive and bound by temporal strings to all our past experiences, and they shape our perception of reality but they're fallable, and yet they are often in the driver's seat behind our choices and actions. I see a lot of these themes in the visuals and narrative of the films, but just the very simply stated idea that emotions are a meaning-making process, that they are stories we tell ourselves to explain our feeling at the time, is still the most accessible and simple statement of what an emotion is, that I have ever heard and I'd love to see that come through in the next Inside Out film... fingers crossed - also love Lisa's suggestion in another interview of the exploration of social pressure around gender differences and the way boys are taught to police their own and other boys' vulnerable emotions - love to see somehow shame reprogramming or policing the inner world on behalf of influences from the external world... although anxiety using embarrassment to lock away the other emotions where her secrets went kind of touches on an aspect of feeling ashamed it lacks any dimension of the role of the external world's influence on self appraisal and the shame and socialisation of masculinity experienced by young boys taught about which emotions are masculine and socially expected/accepted, and which emotions are 'weak', 'vulnerable' and 'effeminate' and socially excluded from the hegemonic masculinity. "Simple feelings of pleasure and displeasure or calmness and agitation are not the same as complex emotional experiences such as joy and sadness. These basic feelings are your body's internal sensations, whereas emotions are the concepts that your brain assigns to the feelings to give them meaning."
Fascinating conversation. you are so lucky for being part of this film. I have been waiting for the release with so much anticipation since they announced it! I went and saw it with my little one, that was already familiar with the 5 characters of the first movie, and it was her first movie experience ever. The sequel was everything I was hoping for and even more! What you are saying about the conversation back at home is so true. The first movie has given us so many opportunities to speak and learn about our emotions, and with the 2nd now, we will have even more to talk about, for years to come. I hope a 3rd one eventually comes out, but there is no rush. I prefer they take their time and do it right!
Thank you for this eye opening conversation about such a great movie. I just cannot stop thinking about it and using references from it with my students. All emotions are there for a reason...❤❤
One thing that has always stuck with me and helped contextualise what emotions are and how they exist and function in a really accessible way I think is how Dr Lisa Feldman Barret summarises emotions (which I find intersects with much of what Brene Brown says about Vulnerability and how it intersects with Self) and that is essentially that 'emotions are stories we tell ourselves, they're a narrative lense and a meaning making perceptual process, they're how we understand our sensations and affect within the context they're occurring based on our past experiences and the expectations set by those and by our sociocultural norms. They're constructed, predictive and bound by temporal strings to all our past experiences, and they shape our perception of reality but they're fallable, and yet they are often in the driver's seat behind our choices and actions. I see a lot of these themes in the visuals and narrative of the films, but just the very simply stated idea that emotions are a meaning-making process, that they are stories we tell ourselves to explain our feeling at the time, is still the most accessible and simple statement of what an emotion is, that I have ever heard and I'd love to see that come through in the next Inside Out film... fingers crossed - also love Lisa's suggestion in another interview of the exploration of social pressure around gender differences and the way boys are taught to police their own and other boys' vulnerable emotions - love to see somehow shame reprogramming or policing the inner world on behalf of influences from the external world... although anxiety using embarrassment to lock away the other emotions where her secrets went kind of touches on an aspect of feeling ashamed it lacks any dimension of the role of the external world's influence on self appraisal and the shame and socialisation of masculinity experienced by young boys taught about which emotions are masculine and socially expected/accepted, and which emotions are 'weak', 'vulnerable' and 'effeminate' and socially excluded from the hegemonic masculinity.
"Simple feelings of pleasure and displeasure or calmness and agitation are not the same as complex emotional experiences such as joy and sadness. These basic feelings are your body's internal sensations, whereas emotions are the concepts that your brain assigns to the feelings to give them meaning."
Wow, what a deep and thoughtful reflection on emotions. You’ve beautifully articulated the complexity of emotions and how they shape our experiences.
Fascinating conversation. you are so lucky for being part of this film. I have been waiting for the release with so much anticipation since they announced it! I went and saw it with my little one, that was already familiar with the 5 characters of the first movie, and it was her first movie experience ever. The sequel was everything I was hoping for and even more! What you are saying about the conversation back at home is so true. The first movie has given us so many opportunities to speak and learn about our emotions, and with the 2nd now, we will have even more to talk about, for years to come. I hope a 3rd one eventually comes out, but there is no rush. I prefer they take their time and do it right!
So thrilled it met your expectations and your family loved it too! You’re right about these being great conversation starters.
Thank you for this eye opening conversation about such a great movie. I just cannot stop thinking about it and using references from it with my students. All emotions are there for a reason...❤❤
We love hearing that you’ve already used some of this in the classroom!