Quote:
Originally Posted by theoretical
I meant what compels people to react a certain way, not what compels people to have the feeling. I'm assuming it's the feeling which influences how someone reacts, though they can control it to some extent. When I react, it's more like I'm just reading lines. If no one was around that I needed to act for, then I wouldn't react at all.
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I don’t think anything particular compels people to react either. They feel something, they react. If situation is calling for controlling one’s behavior (like can’t act certain way in certain circumstances) people could control some of their reaction to an extend. Although there've been many times when something was so funny to me I couldn’t stop laughing and had to step out to avoid getting in trouble. Reaction was just spontaneous.
If you don’t feel anything then I don’t see a need to act like you do. You can express some understanding to people without feeling it per se. Like if someone’s relative dies, I might feel nothing because I didn’t even know them but logically I know people must be hurting, so I’d tell them I am sorry or what not. I’d not visibly react though because I don’t feel it and not about to start acting.
Even those of us who do feel emotions don’t feel it 24/7 and to the highest degree at all times. Yes some people are very emotional, but not all. Plenty of times I feel nothing. Sometimes I feel something. Sometimes I feel a lot. I suspect most people are this way. So I don’t think you need to always react when people are around. It could be ok not to.
Just my opinion