Kay Redfield Jamison Reading
Kay Redfield Jamison discusses and reads from her book entitled Exuberance: the Passion for Life. Jamison points out that the state of “exuberance” is rarely studied in psychology; psychologists tend to focus their study on the more “morbid mental states.” Jamison discusses the tendency for children to exhibit exuberant qualities, pointing out that “exuberant play” is integral in the development of mammals. Jamison goes on to explain the connection between exuberance and mental disorders such as manic depression and bipolar disorder.
Jamison discusses the interviews she conducted with various “exuberant” scientists and teachers. She points out that exuberance allows individuals to pick themselves up from defeat as well as to seek out innovative ideas, both qualities that are beneficial for people working in these fields. Jamison does point out that exuberance does have its disadvantages: it causes people to be prone to error, not taken seriously, and aggravating to others. Jamison also hypothesizes why Americans in particular value exuberance as a personality trait, citing out American tendencies of “restlessness and an optimism about the future.”
During a question and answer session, Jamison discusses the gender differences in how exuberance is exhibited in humans. She does admit that men tend to exhibit more intense exuberant qualities, yet this may be due to society’s discouraging of exuberance in women starting from a young age. She goes on to point out that the physical passivity of individuals as well as lack of free time in today’s society contributes to the suppression of exuberance.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Nonfiction
Authors: Kay Redfield Jamison
Date Recorded: October 27, 2005
Works Read: Exuberance: the Passion for Life by Kay R. Jamison
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: manic depression, bipolar disorder, creativity