In my mind the difference is that “for signalling purposes” contains an aspect of a voluntary decision (and thus blame-worthiness for the consequences),
I was attributing the purpose to our brain/genes, not our selves. i.e., the ability to have such moods is a hardwired adaptation to support (sincere-and-not-consciously-planned) social signaling.
It’s not entirely divorced from consciousness, though, since you can realize you’re doing it and convince the machinery that it’s no longer of any benefit to keep doing it in response to a given trigger.
So it’s not 100% involuntary, it’s just a bit indirect, like the way we can’t consciously control blood pressure but can change our breathing or meditate or whatever and affect it that way.
alternate version “most long-lasting negative emotions and moods are caused by our social cognition”
That phrasing seems to prompt a response of “So?” or “Yes, and?” It certainly wouldn’t qualify as a fact most people aren’t ready to accept. ;-)
I was attributing the purpose to our brain/genes, not our selves. i.e., the ability to have such moods is a hardwired adaptation to support (sincere-and-not-consciously-planned) social signaling.
It’s not entirely divorced from consciousness, though, since you can realize you’re doing it and convince the machinery that it’s no longer of any benefit to keep doing it in response to a given trigger.
So it’s not 100% involuntary, it’s just a bit indirect, like the way we can’t consciously control blood pressure but can change our breathing or meditate or whatever and affect it that way.
That phrasing seems to prompt a response of “So?” or “Yes, and?” It certainly wouldn’t qualify as a fact most people aren’t ready to accept. ;-)
This time, I agree fully :)