Antonia, Please write a response to the pages excerpted from Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman. "Aristotle's Challenge" (ix - xiv) Ch. 3 "When Smart Is Dumb" (33-45) Ch. 4 "Know Thyself" (46-55)
"As Aristotle saw, the problem is not with emotionality, but with the appropriateness of emotion and its expression."(iv) I agree to a certain extent with what Aristotle says that the problem is not about emotionality but with the appropriateness of this expression. I do agree with Aristotle that it is not an easy challenge and is a life long struggle to moderate. Some emotions are not easy to check and control. Emotions can be negative and anger can be contagious and destructive to a person and society. Conversely emotions can be constructive and positive. It is very hard to moderate emotions. I know from personal experience that when I act emotionally it always goes down the wrong path and away from intelligence and good sense. My observation is that people are either overly emotional or repressed emotionally. Rarely is there a perfect balance. I think that Goleman might have an overly optimistic view of looking at the ability of people to control their emotions. I look forward to addressing how he proposes to do this in the next two chapters.
"... in the ... to-day world no intelligence is more important than the interpersonal. (If you) don't have it, you'll make poor choices about who to marry, what job to (do) and so on. We need to train children in the personal intelligences in school." (42) I agree that interpersonal intelligence is very important in enhancing the ability for a person to use all of the other intelligences. If this is to be encouraged, school programs must be set up so there is interaction between students that build interpersonal skills. This includes sharing materials and doing joint projects where it is necessary to cooperate to complete the process. At my secondary school we did a lot of musical performances and plays starting in kindergarten. This gave students the dual experiences of being both the performer and the audience We were taught to respect and appreciate other people's talents. From the very beginning of the school program I think it is important to develop both social and individual skills. I do have a problem with interpersonal skills being taught as a skill set. If the skills were taught this way everyone would have a similar way behaving and communicating. I think that interpersonal intelligence can be enhanced by example and encouragement in school. In my opinion there is a strong innate component in these intelligences. I disagree that if you don't have strong interpersonal intelligence that you will make a poor job or marriage choice. One can have terrible interpersonal intelligence but good intrapersonal intelligence which makes a person aware of their strengths and limitations.
"(John) Mayer finds that people tend to fall into distinctive styles for attending and dealing with their emotions. Self-aware. Aware of their moods as they are having them. Engulfed. These people who often feel swamped by their emotions and helpless to escape them, as though their moods have taken charge. Accepting. While these people are often clear about what they are feeling, they also tend to be accepting of their moods, and so do not try to change them.(48) I agree with Mayer that people tend to fall into three different ways of dealing with emotions. I agree with his descriptions of being self-aware and accepting. Being self-aware you are aware of your emotions, understand them and are thus better able to adapt to a given situation. Those people that are accepting understand their emotions but do not try to change them to adapt to a situation. I disagree with some of Mayer's ideas of being engulfed by emotions. I do believe that people can become overwhelmed by emotions and find it hard to find a workable perspective. I disagree with Mayer that these people are unaware of their emotions. I think they are hyper aware of their feelings but do not know how to change them. From personal experience I know when I am engulfed in my emotions that I am super aware of how I feel but am unable to do anything about it. Mayer seems to be missing the point when he equates being overwhelmed by emotion with the lack of feeling. I think what happens is that you are extremely aware of your feelings and may have insight into them but are unable to act upon them.
"As Aristotle saw, the problem is not with emotionality, but with the appropriateness of emotion and its expression."(iv)
ReplyDeleteI agree to a certain extent with what Aristotle says that the problem is not about emotionality but with the appropriateness of this expression. I do agree with Aristotle that it is not an easy challenge and is a life long struggle to moderate. Some emotions are not easy to check and control. Emotions can be negative and anger can be contagious and destructive to a person and society. Conversely emotions can be constructive and positive. It is very hard to moderate emotions. I know from personal experience that when I act emotionally it always goes down the wrong path and away from intelligence and good sense. My observation is that people are either overly emotional or repressed emotionally. Rarely is there a perfect balance. I think that Goleman might have an overly optimistic view of looking at the ability of people to control their emotions. I look forward to addressing how he proposes to do this in the next two chapters.
"... in the ... to-day world no intelligence is more important than the interpersonal. (If you) don't have it, you'll make poor choices about who to marry, what job to (do) and so on. We need to train children in the personal intelligences in school." (42)
ReplyDeleteI agree that interpersonal intelligence is very important in enhancing the ability for a person to use all of the other intelligences. If this is to be encouraged, school programs must be set up so there is interaction between students that build interpersonal skills. This includes sharing materials and doing joint projects where it is necessary to cooperate to complete the process. At my secondary school we did a lot of musical performances and plays starting in kindergarten. This gave students the dual experiences of being both the performer and the audience We were taught to respect and appreciate other people's talents. From the very beginning of the school program I think it is important to develop both social and individual skills. I do have a problem with interpersonal skills being taught as a skill set. If the skills were taught this way everyone would have a similar way behaving and communicating. I think that interpersonal intelligence can be enhanced by example and encouragement in school. In my opinion there is a strong innate component in these intelligences. I disagree that if you don't have strong interpersonal intelligence that you will make a poor job or marriage choice. One can have terrible interpersonal intelligence but good intrapersonal intelligence which makes a person aware of their strengths and limitations.
"(John) Mayer finds that people tend to fall into distinctive styles for attending and dealing with their emotions.
ReplyDeleteSelf-aware. Aware of their moods as they are having them.
Engulfed. These people who often feel swamped by their emotions and helpless to escape them, as though their moods have taken charge.
Accepting. While these people are often clear about what they are feeling, they also tend to be accepting of their moods, and so do not try to change them.(48)
I agree with Mayer that people tend to fall into three different ways of dealing with emotions. I agree with his descriptions of being self-aware and accepting. Being self-aware you are aware of your emotions, understand them and are thus better able to adapt to a given situation. Those people that are accepting understand their emotions but do not try to change them to adapt to a situation. I disagree with some of Mayer's ideas of being engulfed by emotions. I do believe that people can become overwhelmed by emotions and find it hard to find a workable perspective. I disagree with Mayer that these people are unaware of their emotions. I think they are hyper aware of their feelings but do not know how to change them. From personal experience I know when I am engulfed in my emotions that I am super aware of how I feel but am unable to do anything about it. Mayer seems to be missing the point when he equates being overwhelmed by emotion with the lack of feeling. I think what happens is that you are extremely aware of your feelings and may have insight into them but are unable to act upon them.