How the Way You Feel Builds the World You Know with Richard Firth-Godbehere

In this episode of the Evolving Leader podcast, co-hosts Jean Gomes and Scott Allender are in conversation with Richard Firth-Godbehere. Richard is one of the world's leading experts on disgust and emotions, he is an independent researcher and consultant in the history, language, science and philosophy of emotions, and author of ‘A Human History of Human Emotion – How the Way We Feel Built the World We Know’. 

A Human History of Human Emotion (Fourth Estate, 2023)

0.00 Introduction

3.29 As a historian, why did you start to focus on emotions as a way of making sense of the past?

5.11 You suggest that emotions are a modern construct. Can you tell us about that?

7.37 How do you describe what an emotion is?

9.04 How do you study the history of emotions?

11.40 In your book you talk about how certain emotions have been a driving force of change throughout history whereas we generally think of ideas as being the thing that propels history. Can you elaborate on that a little please?

13.54 Can you take us back to Ancient Greece and Plato where you begin your story about understanding emotion’s evolution?

17.06 What have you learnt about our relationship with desire?

22.07 Your main field of study has been disgust, an emotion that many of us might think is a universal experience. However you’re not so sure…

25.03 What does your research reveal about love?

31.40 Your research into witch crazes is particularly revealing and relevant to today’s polarising world. 

35.50 What does history tell us about the effect of the more optimistic feelings associated with things such as progress and freedom?

39.08 You mention several people who have had a profound influence on our modern understanding of emotion. Where was the turning point at which that shifted our understanding of human nature?

45.18 In all the things you are currently doing, what’s the area you are wrestling most with in terms of your own uncertainty about what you’ve learnt around emotion?

46.40 How can a leader who is listening to this podcast make use of your research findings?

49.30 Solastalgia, the emotion that is expressed across the world by people who have had their homes destroyed by climate change.

51.57 Do you think there was a highly characteristic and shared emotion around Covid?

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The Evolving Leader is researched, written and presented by Jean Gomes and Scott Allender with production by Phil Kerby. It is an Outside production.

Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction
• 3:29 As a historian, why did you start to focus on emotions as a way of making sense of the past?
• 5:11 You suggest that emotions are a modern construct. Can you tell us about that?
• 7:37 How do you describe what an emotion is?
• 9:04 How do you study the history of emotions?
• 11:40 In your book you talk about how certain emotions have been a driving force of change throughout history whereas we generally think of ideas as being the thing that propels history. Can you elaborate on that a little please?
• 13:54 Can you take us back to Ancient Greece and Plato where you begin your story about understanding emotion’s evolution?
• 17:06 What have you learnt about our relationship with desire?
• 22:07 Your main field of study has been disgust, an emotion that many of us might think is a universal experience. However you’re not so sure…
• 25:03 What does your research reveal about love?
• 31:40 Your research into witch crazes is particularly revealing and relevant to today’s polarising world.
• 35:50 What does history tell us about the effect of the more optimistic feelings associated with things such as progress and freedom?
• 39:08 You mention several people who have had a profound influence on our modern understanding of emotion. Where was the turning point at which that shifted our understanding of human nature?
• 45:18 In all the things you are currently doing, what’s the area you are wrestling most with in terms of your own uncertainty about what you’ve learnt around emotion?
• 46:40 How can a leader who is listening to this podcast make use of your research findings?
• 49:30 Solastalgia, the emotion that is expressed across the world by people who have had their homes destroyed by climate change.
• 51:57 Do you think there was a highly characteristic and shared emotion around Covid?