In a world where our attempts to manipulate our feelings often lead to unexpected and explosive emotional outbursts, deep internal contradictions emerge within us.

Emotional Turbulence: When Rational Control Meets the Unconscious

In a world where our attempts to manipulate our feelings often lead to unexpected and explosive emotional outbursts, deep internal contradictions emerge within us. The beginning of this journey is always accompanied by an awareness: when the mind struggles against its hidden emotions, its efforts often prove insufficient to suppress the powerful impulse of the unconscious. It is at this moment that the retreating control of reason gives way to a natural, almost instinctive reaction—tears that flare up as a signal of the collision between rational thought and primal emotional mechanisms.

The main part of this post explains that any attempts to direct or "control" one's feelings inevitably meet with an internal struggle, where emotional and unconscious forces overpower deliberate efforts. In this dynamic, the conscious mind temporarily loses its rational bearings, ceding power to affective manifestations that represent an insurmountable collision of deep-seated psychic structures. Such a process is not a sign of weakness, but a vivid testament to the power and vibrancy of our true feelings.

In conclusion, it is important to emphasize that the display of emotions, especially tears, is not merely an indication of a loss of control over the situation, but an important reminder that our inner mechanisms, embedded deep within our psyche, continue to influence our reactions. This emotionally charged experience helps us better understand ourselves, opening the path to a genuine harmony between the conscious and the unconscious.

Why does a failure in attempts at manipulation lead to an emotional reaction such as tears?

The failure of such attempts often results in a turbulent emotional response because when the consciousness encounters internal conflict—when the mind tries to manage feelings but fails to find a way to control them—it may "yield" under the onslaught of primitive, unconscious mechanisms. This happens because attempts at manipulation rely on conscious efforts that are not always capable of suppressing deep, personal emotional impulses. Consequently, when manipulation fails, an emotional state arises in which the supremacy of rational thought gives way to more instinctive and immediate affective reactions.

For example, as cited from file link txt, a well-known Jungian psychologist explains:
"The consciousness becomes confused, and affective reactions emerge… The consciousness yields, regresses, and is replaced by primitive mechanisms. The affective reactions that arise as a result of enchantment are dangerous; they are tantamount to an invasion of the unconscious."
(Source: link txt)

This quote shows that when attempts to control or direct feelings through manipulation do not yield the expected results, the part of the consciousness responsible for rational thought becomes overwhelmed and is forced to retreat, making way for more primitive, emotionally charged reactions. That is why, in such situations, emotions manifest in the form of tears—not so much as a deliberate expression of feelings, but rather as an involuntary clash between conscious and unconscious processes.

Thus, tears in this context are not merely an indicator of disappointment or weakness, but also a signal that attempts at manipulative control are overridden by internal, deep emotional and unconscious mechanisms that do not yield to willful efforts.

Supporting citation(s):
"The consciousness becomes confused, and affective reactions emerge… The consciousness yields, regresses, and is replaced by primitive mechanisms. The affective reactions that arise as a result of enchantment are dangerous; they are tantamount to an invasion of the unconscious." (Source: link txt)