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Thread ID: 9298 | Posts: 1 | Started: 2003-08-26
2003-08-26 07:26 | User Profile
The following is from [url=http://home.comcast.net/~neoeugenics/Hate.htm]http://home.comcast.net/~neoeugenics/Hate.htm[/url]
Hate, Fear and Disgust: Evolutionary Emotions for Tribal Survival Matt Nuenke June, 2003
Research into how the brain functions are now finally advancing to a level where basic emotion can be studied. Using various scanning techniques, along with studies of brain lesions, and an assortment of psychological evaluations, we are slowly unweaving the varying levels of cognitive functions and interactions. In reading several books on emotions, consciousness, and feelings, it occurred to me that we are looking inside of a primitive ape, but we are pretending that the ape has been tamed and is now in pursuit of peace and bliss. All of the data however says otherwise.
According to Damasio, there are six universal or primary emotions: happiness, sadness, fear, anger, surprise and disgust. Secondary or social emotions include embarrassment, jealousy, guilt or pride. And background emotions include well-being, calm or tension. (Damasio, 1999) Other research on the emotions within marriage included in the primary emotions: anger, hatred and jealousy. Jealousy however may be a secondary emotion comprising fear, anger, sadness and even hatred. Or again, "hate derives from the basic emotion of disgust, whereas others believe that hate is a personalized version of angerââ¬Â¦.[or] hate can be distinguished from anger in a number of ways. For exampleââ¬Â¦people experiencing hate want to avoid, or even eliminate, the source of their emotion [of hate]ââ¬Â¦." (Fletcher, 1996)
In this article, I want to discuss primarily hatred, disgust and fear, so I will dispense with happiness, sadness, anger and surprise before moving on. Sadness and surprise are self-evident emotions and I will not elaborate. Anger however is very closely associated with hatred in the literature, so I will need to delineate its meaning as it pertains to my discussion of hatred. I was discussing emotional outbursts with a friend of mine, and he stated how when he gets angry and attacks someone, he is not always certain it is not just play-acting. The same thoughts had occurred to me, and the research, whether of chimpanzees or humans seems to conclude the same thing - anger is directed at those around us for a variety of reasons, including dominance, feelings of being wronged, humiliated, etc. That is, anger as emotion is primarily directed at those around us and it does not involve a perceived threat of danger. An explosion of anger may have very negative repercussions, including extreme violence, but whatever sets it off it is not fear of something but rather an attack towards someone[s] or something[s].
Happiness is an evolutionary old emotion that exists to varying levels in different species, but how much importance has nature given to it? Is it a great motivator for action that improves our odds of survival? It doesn't seem so. In a study of happiness in chimpanzees, based on observations of their behavior, it was determined that happiness was about 40% genetic - no matter what luck or action the chimpanzees encountered - happiness has a large genetic component. (Konner, 2002) The study of humans shows similar results - it seems that finding happiness is as much genetic as it is environmental, and what makes humans happy is extremely elusive. Meaning, the pursuit of happiness is not a very powerful motivator for controlling our behavior. Genetically, people who are not neurotic and are extroverted are the happiest people - no matter what their life's circumstances.
Complete article is at [url=http://home.comcast.net/~neoeugenics/Hate.htm]http://home.comcast.net/~neoeugenics/Hate.htm[/url]