This one is so well-known that it almost needs no introduction. This is
a scholarly work rather than a light breezy one, but definitely worth
reading. What so clearly emerges here is that while enormous effort and
expense goes into educating the young in an academic sense, what Goleman
calls "emotional intelligence" is neglected. Don't get me wrong, I am
all for children studying literature and history. But developing
emotional intelligence is not some frivolous extra; it is fundamental to
quality of life. (See also Steinem, Revolution from within: A Book of
Self-Esteem.)
Plenty of highly educated, highly intelligent (in the sense of
traditional IQ) people have train-wrecks of lives, with low quality
relationships both personal and professional. Goleman makes a sound
case not only that emotional education should be done, but that it can
be done. As he says, "temperament is not destiny."
One final note: he debunks the myth that it's good, useful, or
therapeutic to "let out" one's anger, by explaining what happens in the
brain and body when anger is allowed to rip and showing that anger
builds more anger.
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