Sometimes the best lessons come from where we least imagine. Therefore, it is important to live life with an open mind and not close ourselves to any experience. Such was the case with film “Inside Out”, a true revelation produced by Pixar. This 3D animated film is a real gem that no child, and I dare say no adult, should get lost.A complete film, for children and adults
The film "Inside Out" it contains everything: knowledge and irony, tenderness and fun. In fact, many have claimed it is the best Pixar film to date. In addition, it is also very original because apart from the story of the protagonist, Riley Anderson, with which many could identify, the authors have worked wonders to be able to tell us what goes on in this little girl's mind.In Riley's head five emotions coexist: joy , sadness, anger, fear and disgust. These emotions form a kind of board of directors that goes through a series of decisions for the child to be able to face the different challenges of life. However, the most interesting aspect is that the creators of "Inside Out" have been very loyal. to science. In fact, they teamed up with two scientists from the University of California who work near Pixar's headquarters: Dacher Keltner, of Berkeley and Paul Ekman, of San Francisco. it reflects quite faithfully, with a sarcastic and funny touch, what happens in the human mind. Obviously, the authors have taken various licenses in order to represent everything in a simple and understandable way to the general public, including children, but the missing details do not question the final result.The most important aspect is that the film does not lose. momentum in no time, throughout the projection new elements are added within the world of Riley, new characters that keep us glued to the screen. The creators were very bold, as they did not only touch on the subject of human emotions, but also the formation of memories, oblivion, fantasy and even the formation of dreams.What can we learn from Inside Out?
The movie "Inside Out" is not simply a lesson in Neuroscience. In fact, it contains some very important lessons for life, profound teachings that are valid for adults and children:1. Emotions are vital when making decisionsFor centuries we have thought that emotions were an obstacle when it comes to making decisions: being rational is fine, being emotional is not. However, according to the theory of somatic markers, emotions are essential for making good decisions, because they are a kind of filter that allows us to limit the wide universe of possibilities, helping us to choose the least harmful opportunities. emotions are like sentinels protecting us, so we should always rely on these because, after all, they are a direct signal to ourselves. In fact, when we are in danger, an emotional secuestro is produced in our mind and the amygdala takes over, disconnecting the rational parts of our brain, in order to save us as quickly as possible. emotions, we must learn to connect with our emotional world. A good decision is the reasoned one, but also the one that makes us feel good about ourselves.2. Memories change their emotional imprint over timeMemory is not just an archive of memories, as they say in the film, but it is an active process that is constantly evolving. Therefore, what you remember today is not what you will remember tomorrow. The emotions we feel and the experiences we have lived change the way we look at the past, and therefore, we change our memories; therefore, a happy memory can be filled with nostalgia and sadness, as happened to the protagonist of the film. Likewise, a sad memory can generate joy in the future. In fact, it happens to all of us when we lose a loved one, the first memories are full of pain and sadness, but over time they are covered with nostalgia and joy.What happens is that by remembering we are not able to abstract ourselves from the person we are. become. And this change transforms our memories.
3. Positive emotions are at a disadvantage. Potential!We experience far more than the five emotions described in the film. However, the primary emotions are precisely: joy, sadness, anger, fear and disgust. These are the emotions that are activated viscerally, in front of a stimulus, but which are able to give rise to what are known as secondary emotions: contempt, frustration, excitement, embarrassment or surprise. that in our emotional range the "negative" emotions are more numerous than the "positive" ones. This is because emotions have the task of keeping us safe, so it is normal that over the centuries the negative reactions that warn us of possible danger have been enhanced, while the positive and satisfying signals can be less intense. conscious effort to feed those “positive” emotions, the emotions that make us feel good and make us happy.
4. Cultivate all that you wish to develop in yourself, or you will lose it.At a certain point in the film reference is made to mental junk and we notice how the most faded memories are erased. Something similar happens in our mind when a neuronal pattern is not used for a long period of time, it weakens more and more to the point that it can disappear. The same is true with what are referred to as "personality islands", which are simply several meaningful areas of work. Therefore, it is important that you cultivate what you want to develop or preserve in yourself. If you want to be more patient, kind or positive, you will need to nurture, irrigate and nurture these qualities day after day, without neglecting them. The same goes for interpersonal relationships or learning, anything you don't cultivate could go away.Don't let the daily hustle and bustle take away any of the most important things from you. Give it some time.
5. All emotions are necessary. Accept them!One of the main lessons of this film is that all emotions are necessary, we must not reject them or try to hide them because they all have a message to convey. In fact, sadness, which at first appears marginalized as a burden, later regains importance, when we realize that it has an adaptive value and that through it things can change.Our emotional baggage offers us a great evolutionary advantage . Thus, fear helps us escape danger or makes us take a more cautious attitude, while anger encourages us to fight and disgust makes us reject things that could harm us. For example, it has been noted that a sad state of mind can increase our ability to memorize, while when we are happy we are more likely to make erroneous judgments.Taking this perspective implies a radical change in the way we relate to ourselves, because we learn to accept ourselves as we are, we learn to accept all our emotions and to connect with our deepest "self".
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