Psychologists say happy people tend to make snap judgments that may reflect racial or sex stereotyping. I am sure you must have seen a lot of stereotyping in online posts. This is a daily experience where happy men and women vent and rent our online space.
By ThePlu Writer
Allah created man and gave him different psychological emotions like love, hate, fear, anger, happiness and many more. Every man feels these emotions in him according to conditions and circumstances.
Each emotion offers some profit to man if used correctly. But equally, there is the grave danger of provoking harm if they are used incorrectly. Harm will be inflicted not only on others but also will backfire on the inflictor.
Did you know that there are two instances when a person can stoop so low as a result of a blind reaction that emanates from an emotional mind: The two situations that can make or break you is your happiness or your anger?
Most people may ask yes we know about anger but why happiness and so I say when a person is hyper happy, his reactions, actions and words emanate from diluted mind that may fail to think critically about a certain situation.
That is why you find lot of daunting, disrespectful posts online, most people make online posts sometimes offensive sometimes disrespectful because they dont think about what they want to post and so they make a rush to put a very disturbing ‘What is on your mind’
One Islamic scholar said: ‘the secret to happiness is good judgment, the secret to good judgment is experience and the secret to experience is bad judgment’ this is a golden quote that underlines the role of happiness in our daily life.
In Islamic circles, happiness is a state of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy, yet when this state moves to the extreme it overburdens the frail mind of a feeble human being.
Studies show that there is a darker side to feeling good and that the pursuit of happiness can sometimes make you … well, less happy. Studies point out that too much cheerfulness can make you gullible, selfish and less successful.
Of course happiness does have so much benefit as scientists say it can protect us from stroke and from the common cold, makes us more resistant to pain, and even prolongs our lives. Yet, they warn that it’s important to experience positive moods in moderation
Say ‘Moderation’ again, and that Islam supports everything to be done in moderation, the lack of which means a negative result of course including happiness.
Just as recent as 2012, June Gruber, a professor of psychology at Yale University compared happiness to food: Although necessary and beneficial, too much food can cause problems; likewise, happiness can lead to bad outcomes.
“Research indicates that very high levels of positive feelings predict risk-taking behaviors, excess alcohol and drug consumption, binge eating, and may lead us to neglect threats,” she says.
Psychologists say happy people tend to make snap judgments that may reflect racial or sex stereotyping. I am sure you must have seen a lot of stereotyping in online posts. This is a daily experience where happy men and women vent and rent our online space.
It is therefore a reason among scientists that happy people are more prone to stereotypical thinking and judgments that may infringe the rights of people, institutions and organizations.
It is also good to point out that emotions are adaptive, like happiness, anger also makes us to act rashly and make regrettable decisions and judgments.
Scientists say anger prepares us to fight for flimsy reasons; it is a behavior that needs control and patience. Studies show that when we are angry and sad, we think in a more systematic manner. Sad people are attentive to details and externally oriented.
Once a man approached the Messenger of Allah and asked: “Advise me”. Then the Messenger of Allah said:
“Do not be angry”. The man repeated the same question and (the Prophet) again said: “Do not be angry,” and continued: “He is not strong and powerful who throws people down but he is strong who withholds himself from anger.”
Anger pushes man to oppress others and to commit crimes by its uncontrollable use, which is in gross disobedience to Allah. Anger, is a psychological condition that causes evil and aggressive actions. Anger is appropriately blamed for flawed thinking since it tends to alter perception of risk, increase prejudice, and trigger aggression.
So next time control both your happiness and anger to remain an average human being who cares for the world, the society and individuals.
