Mental Emotions

I believe we all suffer from what is called Mental Emotions. These are emotions that we never really have, but upon being taught to express these emotions we consequently make ourselves have them.

For example, racism. Most people I do not believe have an inbred hate in them for other people. But, when they are taught through parents or educators to hate someone of a different color, etc. it becomes a mental task to create such an emotion.

This happens frequently in religious sects. Followers will be told that it is wrong to do certain things, thus when the followers do them, even if they initially don't feel bad for doing so they will mentally create such emotions.

There are raw things that will bring us pleasure or pain naturally. But, when society dictates to us what we should get pleasure from and what we shouldn't a barrier is created that says either I conform to societies few and mentally create this emotion, or I go against society. Unfortunately most people go with the former fearing the rejection, the ostracition, and the ridicule from society.

Some people creating these mental emotions may not even be aware that they have been created. This can happen when the individual has been creating them since childhood. For instance, an individual may have been taught that a homosexual is bad. As a result they may get angry when they see a gay couple. These emotions are not true emotions, but mental emotions that have been created for them by the standards that they grew up in. They were taught that such behavior is bad, and as a result to conforming to their own standards that were instilled in them as children they express these mental emotions as real ones.

Philosophy