The Origins of Gratitude and Feeling Good in Society

Gratitude is often rooted in the acknowledgment of forces beyond individual control, which can initially provoke fear. The presence of chaos in early life experiences can hinder the ability to feel gratitude, often limiting such feelings to extreme situations, like those involving life or death. There exists a cultural discomfort with openly expressing joy or ecstasy in social settings. This tension reveals societal norms that dictate appropriate emotional expressions, leading to discomfort when individuals exhibit profound feelings in communal environments.