Just as color perception (and in turn blindness) exists on a spectrum, so too does the ability to experience emotions.
Most people who experience color deficiency, do not have issues with all color (red and green are most common). Color blindness can also come with heightened awareness in other areas...like better than average night vision or a keener sense of smell.
These details parallel well when describing people with emotional deficiencies, in that:
(1.) Someone on the spectrum for narcissistic traits, often still keenly feels rage, envy, hatred and fear.
(2.) Narcissists experience the above emotions more often and at greater intensity than the average person, BECAUSE they lack the ability to feel other emotions (like empathy) which might otherwise (ironically) diminish and balance those feelings out.
(3.) Even a full blown psychopath with no neurotypical fear response, (I.E. only feels an adrenaline rush) is not 100% emotionally colorblind. They still experience pleasure in a limited, ego driven sort of way. If this were not the case, they would have no motivation to do anything, (including anything bad.)
(4.) Total lack of emotional feeling and complete colorblindness, are both incredibly rare, and can signal something more serious...like a brain injury or a neurological condition.
Most people who experience color deficiency, do not have issues with all color (red and green are most common). Color blindness can also come with heightened awareness in other areas...like better than average night vision or a keener sense of smell.
These details parallel well when describing people with emotional deficiencies, in that:
(1.) Someone on the spectrum for narcissistic traits, often still keenly feels rage, envy, hatred and fear.
(2.) Narcissists experience the above emotions more often and at greater intensity than the average person, BECAUSE they lack the ability to feel other emotions (like empathy) which might otherwise (ironically) diminish and balance those feelings out.
(3.) Even a full blown psychopath with no neurotypical fear response, (I.E. only feels an adrenaline rush) is not 100% emotionally colorblind. They still experience pleasure in a limited, ego driven sort of way. If this were not the case, they would have no motivation to do anything, (including anything bad.)
(4.) Total lack of emotional feeling and complete colorblindness, are both incredibly rare, and can signal something more serious...like a brain injury or a neurological condition.
I've never heard someone say they wish they were colorblind, but I've heard a ton of people say they wish they lacked certain feelings, because they think it would solve all their problems. This is kind of like thinking you could avoid getting stuck in traffic if you no longer saw the red in a red light. Emotion is not the heart of the problem.
Emotional color blindness might very well take away things like: codependence, trauma responses and making personal sacrifices for conscientious decisions...but it would also diminish your capacity for joy and your ability to have meaningful relationships with anybody.
Better to sort out the kinks, then throw the whole baby out with the bathwater.
Emotional color blindness might very well take away things like: codependence, trauma responses and making personal sacrifices for conscientious decisions...but it would also diminish your capacity for joy and your ability to have meaningful relationships with anybody.
Better to sort out the kinks, then throw the whole baby out with the bathwater.
by Olive989 March 15, 2023