What is the strongest emotion and why?

Jealousy because people are envious.

Poop. That;s it. Seriously, when you REALLY have to poop, what else matters?

What, besides piss? That a bad one too. lol

Originally posted by Deja~vu
Jealousy because people are envious.

Fear.

Originally posted by the ninjak
Fear.

Nuh-uh. Willpower.

I believe love is the most powerful emotion.

Though love can make you do stupid things, it can also make you do things that you wouldn't normally do, like help somebody in need.

On a related note, what's the strongest neurotransmitter or hormone? If the strength of emotion has anything to do with the strength of a neuropathway, the strongest emotions are whatever emotions you decide to develop. Hmm... that actually makes a lot of sense without physiology too.

I think this question is really stupid. How could you possibly rank emotions by strength? Its like comparing apples to oranges. They work in different ways.

I prefer to rank them in terms of use and influence. To which I've argued fear is the greatest tool.

Yeah, fear or maybe rage. Both can be useful in conflict for the person feeling them and for the person who causes them in others. I wouldn't really consider love an emotion, but infatuation or attraction is definitely a strong one too.

The ones which can easily sway a person or make them act like they wouldn't normally. Anger and fear are possible the top contenders in this sense.

Originally posted by the ninjak
Fear.

Originally posted by Symmetric Chaos
Nuh-uh. Willpower.

An interesting question.

But I agree though Intent is more powerful than Fear, but Intent isn't an emotion.

love

Originally posted by Symmetric Chaos
Nuh-uh. Willpower.

And I just got the joke smh!

I don't know if it's technically an emotion, but it would definitely have to be attachment. Attachment drives all other emotions.

Originally posted by Korto Vos
I don't know if it's technically an emotion, but it would definitely have to be attachment. Attachment drives all other emotions.

Interesting. You mean material/relationships/addictions ect?
Such things are definitely not emotions but circumstantial reactions. Some attachments are forms of perception, therefore thought based.

Seems like humans embrace Hate most. Anybody who thinks that humans are a loving species has selective tunnel vision.

Originally posted by Blinky
Seems like humans embrace Hate most. Anybody who thinks that humans are a loving species has selective tunnel vision.

Yeah I agree. People react fearfully to discomfort.
If they revel in that fear, hate is the active mindset they undertake to deal with it. Unless they discover love to blanket it.
Fear is the emotion, Hate the reaction/state of mind.
Fear and pain spurns action and growth.
Sometimes I think Love is a mindset as well and those feelings you feel when in the company of someone you are attracted to is more base primal instincts to breed and multiply/sex.
And the feeling you have when surrounded by family/friends is primal group safety. Love for your Job/Family/Friends? sounds like security.
Fear is not a bad thing. It is there to teach us to avoid what hurts us. Like a child touching fire for the first time. Without fear we would be fools.

Man I'm sounding like a Sith.

Originally posted by the ninjak
Interesting. You mean material/relationships/addictions ect?
Such things are definitely not emotions but circumstantial reactions. Some attachments are forms of perception, therefore thought based.

Even more to the core than that.

Don't you agree it's attachment that forms the basis of your perception that you are your own unique person?

You are attached to this concept of Self, and you blanket this individuality with emotions and thoughts aimed to shape and separate yourself from all others.

Your attachment, your desire for all things in the material world, to yourself and to the ones around you drive all the natural emotions of love, hate, fear, jealously, surprise, etc.