When dealing with human affairs
Remember- You are not dealing
With creatures of not logic but
emotions.
-- Dale Carnegie
The two most important mental attributes of human beings are
logic and emotions. All mental activities that the human beings engage in,
arises from one or the other of these attributes. The former is governed by the
intellect seated in the head whereas the latter is governed by the senses that
seated in the heart. The decision that governs his choice of the attribute in any
situation depends on the inherent nature of the person whether he is more rational
and goes always by the logic or he is more sensitive and goes by emotions only.
Besides the nature of the person there one more factor that dictates the
attribute he chooses to adopt. And that is the perspective that a person
beholds irrespective of the type, place and nature of person involved in the
situation. The demands of situation could be different in a professional and
that in personal world which includes the society and within the family. Because
the cultural environment would be dissimilar in every type of environment. But
in every type of environment the common factor is, it requires dealing with
human beings and their inter-relations and hence emotions are an important
factor that has to be taken into consideration. It may differ only in degree in
the above stated three different types of environments. In fact, in the
professional world the need is to have a balanced state of mind that deploys both
logic and emotions, for making a judicious decision of what is right and so
should or should not be done. Because in the professional world the underlying
objective of all activities is benefits to the organization, the sustainability
of which is directly related to his livelihood from the profit that the
organization makes in order to stay afloat in the business world.
Now looking at it from a different perspective, what should
a person do in a conflicting situation? More often the two are in contradiction
to one another and in such a situation a person is in a dilemma whether to go
by logic or emotions. One of the best quotes put forth by the famous social
reformer and an enlightened spiritual giant of India Swami Vivekananda is as
follows.
“IN A CONFLICT SITUATION BETWEEN THE HEART
AND THE BRAIN,
FOLLOW YOUR
HEART”
In the personal world, whether in
social circle or inside a family, emotion is a more important attribute. Here,
unlike the professional world here the situation is entirely different. The
primary objective here is sustainability of harmonious relationship either with
life partner, other members of the family or others in the society. This is in
general the way most sensitive and intelligent people go about in their personal
world. In this world the above stated primary objective is of paramount importance.
And so this calls for sensitivity to emotions of the other person and deal people
with more compassion (which is a higher level of positive emotion) and
consideration when the situation demands. The ultimate objective should be a
decision that does not cause harm to any person.
Furthermore there are also slightly different type of people who have a mental inclination to rise
beyond self and the family so as to pay back to the society for all that he has
got from it. And with this thinking he selflessly devotes himself to activities
with an intension to serve the under privileged class of people in the society.
And for engaging in such activities, he applies the intellect with logic as
upliftment of the above stated class of people as the very purpose of his
endeavor. And in practical activities at the ground level, he uses his
positive emotions like compassion, love and empathy towards these people. This
is the guiding motive of his voluntary engagement in this type of activity. Thus,
here it can be seen that both logic and emotions are deployed in a very
meaningful.
Having said all the above, but ultimately what should the common
general guideline for a way forward applicable in any of the above stated type
of world whether professional, societal or family relation). Well, that is
something which has to be based on a harmonious blend of both logic and
emotions where none of the persons involved are put at loss or harmed in any
way.
