The Book of Emotions

Introduction

I reckon that there are essentially only 6 universal human emotions.  This reckoning is based upon scientific (well, anthropological *) research into cross-cultural/cross-lingual recognition of human facial expressions.  Of the entire range (infinite when you think about it) of possible human facial expressions, only 6 were considered to be truly instantly recognisable by any human in either hemisphere.  I reckon that this generates the knock on conclusion that all other facial expressions and associated emotions are derived from these 6 elemental emotions.  All non-elemental emotions are combinations, in varying ratios, of two or more elemental emotions. 

In these left brain driven times, there is currently, among the chattering classes, a back lash which celebrates "intuition", "feelings", and, of course, sensitivity to emotions.  I reckon that this is not necessarily a bad thing.  But I voice a note of caution as I recall the black hole out of which we Europeans were fortunate enough to climb in the renaissance.  As we squirmed under the crushing weight of a “christian” hegemony gone mad – a system of insubstantiable belief-statements based largely on superstition, hysteria, and the urge of the few to control the many – news of mathematics and libraries and critical thinking began slowly to seep in from what was then the largely arab/muslim world to the south.  These mischievous and subversive concepts began to undermine the belief-statements of the christian rulers.  However, this note of caution aside and assuming that superstition does not again become the ruling force, we welcome the re-advent of intuition and subjective interpretation of events. 

Xtreme emotions….

Basic/elemental emotions (6 facial expressions), composite emotions (eg Love)

Importance of balance…………..

Navigational reference points………….

*  In his work throughout the 1960's and 70's, anthropologist and psychiatrist Paul Ekman proposed that there were six facial expressions that are recognised fairly consistently across cultures. (Emotion in the Human Face, ed. Paul Ekman, 1982.)

1.     Happiness

2.     Sadness

3.     Disgust

4.     Surprise

5.     Anger

6.     Fear

7.     Love

"What's love got to do, got to do, got to do with it?  What's love but a secondhand emotion?"

- Tina Turner

SOURCES:

The Very Reverend Deacon Martin – Church Dignitary

"Emotion in the Human Face" - ed. Paul Ekman, 1982

Candace Pert - "Molecules of Emotion"

Robert Plutchik - Hofstra University

Jerome Kagan - Harvard University