Emotional intoxication – A nation that's incapable of logical thought processes | Sun Community News Logic and emotion are inversely related. As one goes up, the other goes down. There's a time for both to be used and we're very rarely aware of which one we're operating from.

Logic and emotion are inversely related. As one goes up, the other goes down. There's a time for both to be used and we're very rarely aware of which one we're operating from. Humans are emotional creatures and there's no way to "turn off" the emotions we experience. We're all hardwired to feel first, and think later. So instead of trying to ignore and/or suppress these emotions, we need to learn how to maintain control of them. The downside? This is much easier said than done. Our nation is currently intoxicated in emotion. This level of "emotional overload" is making it just about impossible to process information logically. When it comes to our current political climate, this spells disaster. Unfortunately, we've all been conditioned to formulate our political stances based on what we "feel" is right. This strong "emotion-based" process of formulating our beliefs is preventing us from acknowledging facts; especially when the facts conflict with what we "feel" internally. The end result is we end up placing more emphasis on what we subjectively feel in our hearts, as opposed to what we objectively see with our eyes. The media and our politicians have done a very good job of creating an environment of mass hate and confusion. They use this fabricated confusion to make it appear as though we're all polar opposites, when realistically, all of us agree on the most important foundational core issues. Things like loving our family, wanting to live in a safe neighborhood, better schools for our kids, financial prosperity. They know if they can prevent clarity, they can prevent unity. And up until now, their preventative measures have worked extremely well. If there's one thing I believe we can all agree on it's that this presidential election cycle is different than all the others. Regardless of who you support, you're most likely standing with both feet VERY firmly on the ground. Ready to go toe to toe with anyone that thinks differently than you. While it's great to stand up for what you believe in, caution should be taken to make certain this "passionate belief" doesn't prevent you from seeing opposing points of view. Points of view that might help you to see things from a different perspective. It's time we stop allowing the foundation of our rebuttals on those we disagree with to be rooted in anger, delusion, and the assumption of the other person's worst intentions. I refuse to accept the fact our political beliefs have gotten so far out of control that they've rendered our brains incapable of logical thought processes. And/or preventing us from differentiating between right and wrong. Let's stop allowing other people to tell us who we're supposed to dislike. Let's stop denying facts just because we don't like what they prove to us. We can all benefit from making a very conscious effort to being better listeners. Not saying we have to agree with what someone says, we just need to make them feel as though they're being heard and understood. It's really that simple. And like I often do, I'll leave you with a quote – "when you talk you only repeat the things you already know. But if you listen, you may just learn something new." Open your eyes, your ears, and your heart. To everyone. Please. — Eric Rittmeyer is a former U.S. Marine and an expert in the fields of mental toughness and emotional intelligence (EQ). He is also the author of the book "The Emotional Marine – 68 Mental Toughness and Emotional Intelligence Secrets to Make Anyone Instantly Like You." This is a guest editorial and does not necessarily reflect the views of The Sun and The Eagle.

Signup for our newsletter

Emotional intoxication – A nation that's incapable of logical thought processes

COMPANY

CUSTOMER SUPPORT

SUBMISSION FORMS

BEYOND THE NEWS