To set a clear foundation, let's clear out a few things first. Let's define "God" first. God is usually conceptualized as the ultimate, supreme being or universal force who possesses absolutely unlimited power, authority, and wisdom. and is generally thought to be the fountainhead of morality, More abstractly, "God" may refer to the very highest principle or truth governing life, the universe, and existence itself. Finally, God is also regarded as the source through whose teachings / spiritual scripts we derive moral values and ethical principles to help us develop conscience (the standard by which we judge right and wrong).
What It Means When Feelings Become Our "God"
Now That We Have The Definition Out of The Way, What It Means When Feelings Become Our "God"? When feelings become our god, they take on a role that mirrors similar attributes of God in several significant ways, and we do not realize it.
Ultimate Authority
Feelings begin to dictate our decisions, priorities, and actions, thus becoming the preeminent authority in our lives. Understand this! It's not reason or principles or faith that guide our lives but rather how we feel about whatever is at hand. When we become overly identified with our feelings, we start to believe that how we feel in a given moment defines us entirely, often making us delusional and thus behaving differently.
Source of Morality
Emotions then become our benchmark of morality. If it feels 'right' or 'good' — and by that, I mean our personal, unchallenged estimation of what suits us at the moment — then naturally, we deem it morally correct, never minding the wider ethical considerations or the minor inconvenience of consequences for our other human beings. This can lead to subjective morality where personal sentiment overrules universal principles, and that means we can do whatever we want to, but that's not the human way to live. Come on guys, we aren't animals. Keep your ID and ego in check!
Primary Motivation and Purpose
So, our primary motivation in life becomes chasing those fleeting feelings like happiness, pleasure, or satisfaction. Because, of course, life is just about keeping our serotonergic and dopaminergic systems in tip-top shape, right? But let's pause for a moment — really, take a step back and ask yourself, is there anything in your life that isn't just about the next dopamine hit? Would you actually do something selflessly, without expecting a warm, fuzzy feeling in return? Or is that just too much to ask in our feel-good-obsessed world?
"This can lead us to worship our emotions, seeking to fulfill them at all costs, sometimes neglecting other important aspects of life like family relationships, friendships, and responsibilities."
Control Over Our Lives
If emotions become our god, then, of course, they get to run the show, dictating our actions, behaviours, and decisions. We'd be nothing more than puppets to our emotions, reacting to every little whim and fancy, even at the slight inconvenience, letting our feelings lead the way while reason and self-discipline take a back seat.
When & Why Does This Happen?
Lack of Self-Awareness
Ah, self-awareness — the elusive, nearly mythical quality that seems to be about as common as finding a unicorn at a coffee shop. This should be the cornerstone of our emotional intelligence, right? Understanding our feelings, recognizing their impact on our thoughts and behaviours, and evaluating whether our emotional reactions are even remotely appropriate for any given situation should be a no-brainer.
Here's the twist: When people fail to believe in something greater than themselves — be it religion, a higher power, or even universal virtues that aren't subject to their daily whims — they tend to become self-absorbed little emotional reactors. They take their feelings way too seriously, treating them like gospel truth.
The trend of "Normalizing Every Fucking Thing"
This trend of normalizing every fucking things, because some ultra-woke NPC on social media said so, many behaviours, attitudes, and emotions in society are aimed at greater acceptance and inclusivity, even if it might potentially be dysfunctional. This trend can also lead to unintended consequences.
"In a society that lacks self-reflectiveness and is prone to instant emotional reactions, the dangers of uncritically embracing norms based solely on feelings are profound."
Too Many Opinions Leading to Disparity, Clash, and Chaos
Oh, what a delightful mess we've created! Everyone today has a stage — whether it's Instagram, X, Threads, Facebook, or whatever trendy new platform is popping up in San Francisco as I type this right now on my train from Zurich to Paris. The result? A never-ending parade of perspectives on every conceivable topic.
Understand this — diversity of thought sounds great in theory, but in practice, it's like trying to navigate a minefield with a blindfold. Drowning in a sea of conflicting opinions, we're left bewildered and disoriented.
What Can We Do? (Actionables)
Look, I want to clarify it beforehand, but I am no productivity guru or someone who has reached self-actualization. I still have hard time following these myself too but I have noticed that these worked for me, to help me evolve from a Charmander to a Charizard. Take it with a grain of salt as I am not here to argue, but I am just sharing my personal thoughts.
Developing Self-Awareness
Look, without self-awareness, we are at the mercy of our feelings. Start by developing this awareness first: All kinds of feelings are valid, even jealousy, envy, and hate but reacting to them is not valid.
Understand this — even though feelings are valid, and arise naturally, emotions are NOT always rational because they often arise from subconscious processes, instincts, or past experiences, experiences that haven't been interpreted properly.
"Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom." — Victor Frankl
Instead of reacting, pause a moment. That pause creates space, enough, to reflect on how to respond. Practicing mindfulness, being fully present in the moment, and anchoring your breath consciously to the presence of the state, will help you to recognize those feelings or thoughts without acting upon them.
During the pause, ask yourself what it is that you're feeling: angry, scared, frustrated, happy, etc. (I suggest learning the emotional wheel by heart). When you label your emotions, you bring them into conscious awareness. This process transforms vague, overwhelming feelings into specific, identifiable states.
Lastly, reflect on your core values and principles: Is the course of action you are considering, or are about to take, in alignment with those values? Choosing a response that lives up to one's principles is congruent to situations like this, so your activities will be just the way you want them to be.
Consider this: I often avoid arguments because, frankly, it only makes sense to engage in a debate with someone who is on a similar intellectual wavelength. Otherwise, it's just a waste of time. It's important to know your audience and discern who is worth having a meaningful discussion with, rather than getting pulled into an argument that goes nowhere.