Emotional Intelligence: Insights from some of the greatest movies
Have you ever wondered what differentiates a hero from a villain in a movie? Well, it is generally the ability to control emotions and use them as wisely as possible.
It is very easy for a villain to get angry and make a rash decision, while for the hero, he is generally shown as a very understanding, empathetic, calm, and composed fellow.
What is EI, and why is it essential?
Emotional Intelligence simply means the ability to control one’s emotions and control the way one reacts, thus not showing extreme emotions like joy, sadness, or anger. As there is a famous saying, “Magic comes alive when intelligence is combined with emotions,” and this quote perfectly defines the importance of being emotionally intelligent. The research today proves that high EQ is much more important than IQ.
So, now coming to why is EI essential. The reason is simple emotions are a big part of our lives. And for most of us, emotions control how we live and how we would behave under different conditions. But with the emotional quotient being high, we no more remain enslaved to our emotions. Instead, we get the ability to control them. And this power not only helps us in making smart decisions, being an effective leader and much more but also we get the ability to understand others well and thus to help them as well. As is said by the great Theodore Roosevelt: “No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care.” So, caring for other people, being empathetic towards them will always help in both personal and professional lives.
Learning the importance of EI through movies
Movies have always taught us a variety of things in one way or the other. And now, if we look at some of the greatest movies in English and Hindi, we find a clear display and use of Emotional Intelligence.
1. In the Pursuit of Happiness : This is one of the most critically acclaimed movies of all time in Hollywood and is based on a true story. It displays some amazing examples of empathy, self-management, commitment, social skills, and relationship management. The attitude of managing oneself and the will and ability to overcome the most difficult circumstances is precisely depicted in the movie, which helps one understands the value and importance of managing oneself and making smart decisions. The way certain outbursts are displayed in the movie is justifiable to some level, but had the characters tried to understand each other well and have had more empathy to one another, like the wife putting herself above others and leaving, are some of the key points in the movie which allow us to get an idea of how lack of emotional Intelligence can rather exaggerate a crisis.
2. Jerry Maguire : This film is another excellent example of a display of empathy and relationship management to succeed in professional and personal life. The film revolves around a sports manager and Jerry Maguire, played by Tom Cruise, who ends up losing all his clients except one due to a petty fight he engages in. And that puts him right at the bottom of the chart in just a single day. But then, with his one single client, who actually had very few chances of winning, he is able to get the same respect and success back. And the way he does it was by understanding his client’s emotions his entire life, thus empathizing with him and getting to know what will work for him best and what will not. This way, he is actually able to groom him in the best way, and even when his client got injured mid-match, he was able to win the seemingly impossible to win the match, thus making Jerry Maguire the most sort after sports manager. This film is one of the most sought-after films in Hollywood, showing the perfect blend of emotions with some powerful dialogues and great scenes showing an amazing display of emotional Intelligence used by the character.
3. Taare Zameen Par : This is an Indian film, which shows the role of empathy and emotional Intelligence in one’s life. The story revolves around a kid who is dyslexic and is ridiculed by everyone, including his teachers and his parents, for not being able to perform up to mark. Frustrated by his performance, his parents decide to send him away to the boarding school, where they expect him to learn and get better. But, at the boarding school, the kid being away from his mother, the only person who tried to understand him, adversely impacts him, and he becomes totally depressed and outcast by all the fellow students and teachers. Then, just out of coincidence, an art teacher comes into the school as a replacement (played by Amir Khan), who understands his situation and finds the hidden talent in the boy who was drawing and painting. He talks to him (which was definitely very tough in the beginning), but the teacher empathizes with him, encourages him, and helps him be better. Not only this, the teacher travels and meets the boy’s parents, talks to them and makes them understand the boy’s situation, and persuades them to encourage him. And, finally, due to the constant emotional support and motivation from his teacher and parents, this kid is not only able to shine as a painter but is able to overcome his fear of academics and perform well overall. This film perfectly demonstrates the relevance of empathy and the need for understanding, especially amongst kids.
4. Zindagi Naa Milegi Dobara : Another film that focuses deeply on the importance of self-awareness and self-management. It is one of the most critically acclaimed films of Indian cinema and portrays the relevance of knowing oneself beautifully. The film revolves around a man who is so busy in his professional life that he forgets to enjoy and live life and then how one tour with his college friends changes his perspective towards life. The kind of dialogues, the verses, the poetry used in this movie all signify how much it is important to be self-aware and manage oneself. We often live in this thought, that one day I will earn enough money and then I will give time to myself, but the reality is that day never comes, so live each day as is, be aware of yourself and manage yourself in the best way. And this is the concept that is explained in this film simply yet extremely beautiful, that it is important to be self-aware, it is important to forgive and move on, and live life one day at a time.
How lack of EI can affect one negatively : Taking references from the movie world
When we look at movies, we find a lot of characters like the Birdman or the Joker, who have a severe lack of emotional Intelligence. Both these characters could not understand emotions, and that is why they ended up taking so drastic steps. Talking about the Birdman, he was a person with extremely low self-awareness and a lack of understanding of emotions. He even tends to hear voices that criticize him, torments and gives him the worst kind of advice, finally letting him commit suicide.
And if we see Joker, the supervillain of the DC Universe, we see a pattern here as well. The Joker clearly had emotional issues dealing with the realities of his life. Be it regarding who his father was, or was regarding his relationship with Sophie (his assumed girl-friend). And though he suffers from a mental illness, his lack of emotional understanding, clear hate for his father and the people who mocked him makes him a brutal person, committing murders and enjoying them all the more.
When we look at these examples, we can clearly make out that they are extreme cases of not using the emotions in a proper manner, but clearly, lack of emotional Intelligence can cause all of us some or the other form of failure. It can be a professional failure, not being able to understand your bosses or your subordinates or your clients, or it can be a personal failure not being able to understand oneself or one’s spouse or children. And all of this ultimately leads to despair and hopelessness. And who wants to live like that? So, just being emotionally intelligent can help us and others to be better in so many ways.
Conclusion
So, these were some examples from the movie world, some characters, and some movies which showed the display of emotional Intelligence and what the positive effects of EI can be on one’s mind.
These movies help us understand that it is not really difficult to be emotionally intelligent. It is just a conscious choice, and having a high EQ will actually help us be better both professionally and personally.
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