Why do we internalize emotions of others? What books and resources can help me/us to understand it?
In: 5
Internalising the emotions of others, is imagining their situation and putting yourself in their shoes, trying to feel what they feel.
If I tell you someone punched me for no reason, you can imagine what that situation would be like:
– me
– another person
– them swinging their arm
You can then put yourself in that situation, and imagine how it feels: it hurts.
>Why do we internalize emotions of others?
It’s the basis of empathy.
It allows us to connect with others, and what they experience.
>What books and resources can help me/us to understand it?
I find an active imagination is very helpful. It helps us imagine things we ourselves have never experienced. People are very different from one another, so it stands to reason that I haven’t experienced most of the problems other people experience.
My go-to example is menstruation: men literally do not even have the associated organs. It’s hard to imagine what it’s like to experience that. But by listening to those who experience it, we can better imagine how that would be like. And thus better empathise.
So in general I would recommend reading and daydreaming 🙂
Latest Answers