Death Has Robbed Our Country Of Its Most Distinguished Ornament, And The World Of One Of Its Greatest

Death has robbed our country of its most distinguished ornament, and the world of one of its greatest benefactors.

James Madison on the death of George Washington. (via sonofhistory)

[The PC is at a fancy gala with his girlfriend, a shadar-kai who has a… let’s say incomplete grasp of human manners and language.  They’re talking to the head of the university department where this PC wants to work - someone he desperately wants to make a good impression on.]

PC (explaining where he met his girlfriend): I met her there on my trip this past fall.

Professor:  Well, she must have made quite an impression on you, that you brought her all the way from Mirithene to be your guest tonight.

PC: She is quite charming.

Girlfriend: And we are fucking.

PC: ……..

Professor: ……..

Girlfriend (apologetic): Oh, I’m sorry. That is the impolite term. We are ‘sleeping together’. 

Characteristics of Emotions:

Emotions are Complex; they generally consist of several parts or different reactions happening at the same time

Emotions are Automatic: Emotions are involuntary, automatic responses to internal and external events.

Emotions Cannot Be Changed Directly: We can change the events that cause emotional experiences, but we cannot change the experiences directly. We cannot instruct ourselves to feel a particular emotion and then feel it. We cannot use willpower to stop an emotional experience even when we desperately want to.

Emotions Are Sudden, and They Rise and Fall: Emotions ordinarily occur suddenly, although the intensity of a particular emotion may build up slowly over time. They are also like waves in the sea because they rise and fall. Most emotions only last from seconds to minutes.

Emotions are Self-Perpetuating: Once an emotion starts, it keeps restarting itself. We might even save that “emotions love themselves.” This is because when emotions sensitize us to events associated with the emotions. Examples: When we are in a house at night alone and are afraid, every little sound seems like it may be someone breaking in. When we are in love, we see only the positive points of the person we love. Once we are jealous, every time our loved one looks at someone else, it is proof of betrayal.

Emotions have Components: These components are interrelated, and each component influences all others. Thus, although an emotion can be thought of as a complete and transactional systematic response to external and internal events, it can also be very helpful to examine each component separately. A very important take-home message here is that changing just one component can often change the entire emotional response.

Some Emotions are Universal. There are probably about 10-12 universal emotions (e.g. anger, disgust, fear, guilt, joy, jealousy, envy, sadness, shame, surprise, interest, love). People are built with the potential, the biological readiness, for these. Others are learned and are usually some combination of the basic emotions.

Disclaimer: We do not own the content above. Complete credit goes to The Second Edition of the DBT Skills Training Manual by Marsha M. Linehan

World: Be sensitive and vulnerable.

Me: Okay, I'll try my best...

World: Not like that!