Letter to the Editor: Evie Lumsden

This letter serves not to dispute any topics discussed by the article but as a different perspective on the column title for this opinion column.

EMOTION IS THE DEATH OF REASON

Can you imagine how dangerous life would be if we had no sense receptors? We would probably injure ourselves and not realize it, numb to the pain. Food would not taste good–or bad. (I’d probably eat carrot sticks like they were french fries.)

Feelings.We would not feel physical pain, but damage would still be done. Therefore, pain is good.

Why, then, would we want to turn off our ‘emotional receptors’?

I’m a female and definitely don’t write this on behalf of women. All women aren’t emotional, just as all men aren’t unemotional. I only want to challenge the stance that if “it” is emotional, it’s illogical. We focus on the weaknesses of emotion, but what about its strengths? Without emotion, communication would be cold and dead, bland and unconvincing. Animation and intensity bring life to any expression. Humour lightens the mood of difficult conversations.

Emotions should be controlled, not contained.

Emotion is the heart of reason. Emotion and reason are one. Emotion breeds empathy, the ability to feel and understand what others are feeling or thinking. Empathy doesn’t detract from reason but heightens it. Putting ourselves in someone’s situation widens our viewpoint. It shows us we may actually be flawed in our thinking. Lack of empathy, however, blinds us to effective solutions. We firmly retain our beliefs, oblivious to whom they might affect, harm, or ruin. Yes, there’s a time to be blunt, but we ought to tell it like it's in love.

Emotion is also helpful to our safety and decision making skills. Emotion’s urge can cause you to run from a scary-looking person (a clown?) or to leave a party that makes you feel uncomfortable.

A little anxiety can also boost speed and concentration if you have a paper due tomorrow you haven’t started, OR...you could turn off your emotions, get an F, and act is if nothing happened.I speak from experience. Emotion is necessary, and turning it off for too long instead of dealing with it can result in a crash.

Lastly, we need to remember why we’re here. One of the reasons there’s so much pain in the world is that no one cares or notices. And it grows. Some people go through it alone because we are stuck on what’s right and what’s wrong and not rescuing the wounded.

Let us not reason ourselves away. Let us argue less and act more. That’s logic.

Conceal, don’t feel? Nah.

Let it out. Let it go!