Emotional intelligence has been co-opted for corporate control, requiring a reevaluation of its impact.
Gendered emotional labor in service jobs reflects societal expectations, intertwining emotions and gender roles.
Deep dives
Emotional Intelligence vs. Emotional Labor
The discussion revolves around the critique of emotional intelligence, emphasizing how it has been co-opted as a tool for corporate control. This concept is compared to emotional labor, highlighting the societal impact of emotional skills and questioning the authenticity of emotional intelligence tests.
Gender and Emotional Labor
The episode delves into the gendered aspect of emotional labor, noting how certain jobs in the service sector, demanding emotional capacities, are primarily done by women. It highlights the intertwining of emotional labor with gender roles, shedding light on the societal expectations placed on individuals in these roles.
Reframing Emotional Intelligence
The conversation steers towards reevaluating the terminology of emotional intelligence, suggesting a shift towards discussing relationships instead of skills. It explores the significance of autonomy and self-perception engendered by the concept of emotional intelligence while also discussing the potential drawbacks of individualizing emotional capacities.
Social Structures and Individual Agency
The dialogue expands to consider the interplay between social structures and individual agency, emphasizing how people shape and are influenced by the systems around them. It underscores the importance of examining the dual influences of structures and individuals in understanding behaviors and societal dynamics.
It’s been 25 years since the concept of emotional intelligence exploded onto the scene. Cultural critic Merve Emre makes a bold case that in the wrong hands, it can be used to exploit people. We unpack the surprising roots of emotional intelligence, how it’s been co-opted as a form of corporate control, and why you might want to rethink some of your core assumptions about emotions at work. You can find the full transcript for this episode at go.ted.com/T4GTscript6
This was an episode of Taken for Granted, but now the podcast is called ReThinking with Adam Grant, and it’s back with weekly episodes. You can listen to them right here in the WorkLife feed, or by following ReThinking with Adam Grant wherever you are right now.