Merve Emre, an Associate Professor at Oxford and a cultural critic for The New Yorker, challenges the traditional views of emotional intelligence. She argues that it can be weaponized for corporate control rather than genuine growth. The conversation explores its roots in emotions, how it intersects with social class, and its impact on workplace culture. Emre calls for reevaluation of psychological strategies in organizations, advocating for sustainable employee support over superficial fixes, while revealing the complexities of emotional labor in professional settings.

In this discussion, Merve Emre, an Associate Professor of English at the University of Oxford and a contributor to The New Yorker, dives deep into emotional intelligence's darker side. She argues that rather than fostering genuine connection, it can be weaponized as a tool of corporate control. Emre critiques the methods of measuring emotional intelligence and the social expectations around emotional labor in the workplace. The conversation touches on the importance of authenticity and the need for systemic change to enhance workplace culture.

Merve Emre, an Associate Professor of English at the University of Oxford and a contributor to The New Yorker, discusses the dark side of emotional intelligence. She reveals how this concept, often seen as beneficial, has been weaponized by corporations for control over employees. Emre scrutinizes its origins, the socio-economic factors at play, and the superficial nature of corporate emotional intelligence training. The conversation delves into emotional labor's complexities, advocating for a more genuine approach in workplaces that values authentic emotional expression.

Merve Emre, an Associate Professor of English at Oxford and a contributor to The New Yorker, dives deep into the controversial concept of emotional intelligence. She argues that it’s often misused in corporate environments to exploit workers. The discussion reveals the surprising origins of emotional intelligence and its evolution into a tool for corporate control. Emre examines the interplay between emotional labor and gender, challenging listeners to rethink their assumptions about emotions at work and shedding light on the dynamics of authenticity and leadership.

Xavier Bonilla interviews Merve Emre, a literature professor at Oxford University. They discuss the importance of literary criticism, different ways of reading, interpretation methods, genre boundaries, and the philosophical implications in novels like 'Heaven' by Mieko Kawakami. They also touch on film adaptations, favorite books like 'Crime and Punishment' and 'Lolita', and the themes of cruelty and love in literature.