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[GRE] People who make decisions based on emotion and justify those decisions with logic afterwards are poor decision makers.
created Tuesday October 14, 09:28 by yuxuanyan
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It is often argued that emotions distort human judgment and that decisions guided by emotions rather than logic are fundamentally flawed. I agree that excessive emotional influence can lead to poor choices, yet I also believe that completely separating emotion from decision-making is neither possible nor desirable. A sound decision maker is one who allows logic to lead, but does not entirely silence emotion.
First, decisions made purely in moments of intense emotion are indeed prone to error. When anger, fear, or excitement dominates the mind, people tend to act impulsively, overlooking long-term consequences. For instance, a manager who fires an employee out of frustration may later regret the decision when realizing the person’s overall contribution to the company. Emotions, by nature, fluctuate and are often reactive; thus, decisions made under their control are unstable. Logical reasoning, on the other hand, draws upon evidence, precedent, and reflection. It enables individuals to analyze causes and predict outcomes. Hence, logic must serve as the guiding framework for major decisions.
However, it would be simplistic to conclude that all emotion-driven decisions are poor. Emotions such as empathy, compassion, and moral concern often play an essential role in guiding ethical choices. A doctor, for example, who considers only statistical success rates without empathy might fail to treat patients as human beings. Similarly, leaders who lack emotional intelligence may make technically sound yet socially disastrous decisions. Therefore, effective decision-making requires the balance between rational analysis and emotional awareness — logic provides direction, while emotion provides humanity.
Finally, people who justify emotional decisions with logic afterward are not necessarily poor decision makers; rather, they may be attempting to understand or learn from their actions. Reflection and rationalization can lead to self-improvement, as long as the process is honest and critical rather than self-deceptive. The danger lies not in emotion itself, but in denying its influence and refusing to learn from it.
In conclusion, while decisions made in emotional turmoil are often misguided, emotion is not inherently the enemy of reason. The best decision makers are those who recognize when emotion clouds their judgment and consciously restore balance through logic. True wisdom lies not in eliminating emotion, but in mastering it.
First, decisions made purely in moments of intense emotion are indeed prone to error. When anger, fear, or excitement dominates the mind, people tend to act impulsively, overlooking long-term consequences. For instance, a manager who fires an employee out of frustration may later regret the decision when realizing the person’s overall contribution to the company. Emotions, by nature, fluctuate and are often reactive; thus, decisions made under their control are unstable. Logical reasoning, on the other hand, draws upon evidence, precedent, and reflection. It enables individuals to analyze causes and predict outcomes. Hence, logic must serve as the guiding framework for major decisions.
However, it would be simplistic to conclude that all emotion-driven decisions are poor. Emotions such as empathy, compassion, and moral concern often play an essential role in guiding ethical choices. A doctor, for example, who considers only statistical success rates without empathy might fail to treat patients as human beings. Similarly, leaders who lack emotional intelligence may make technically sound yet socially disastrous decisions. Therefore, effective decision-making requires the balance between rational analysis and emotional awareness — logic provides direction, while emotion provides humanity.
Finally, people who justify emotional decisions with logic afterward are not necessarily poor decision makers; rather, they may be attempting to understand or learn from their actions. Reflection and rationalization can lead to self-improvement, as long as the process is honest and critical rather than self-deceptive. The danger lies not in emotion itself, but in denying its influence and refusing to learn from it.
In conclusion, while decisions made in emotional turmoil are often misguided, emotion is not inherently the enemy of reason. The best decision makers are those who recognize when emotion clouds their judgment and consciously restore balance through logic. True wisdom lies not in eliminating emotion, but in mastering it.
