I feel that I don't have any emotions. What should I do?

Originally written for Quora.

Just learn to fake them like the others do.

I am not aware of any research implying that all human beings possess the same disposition to feel emotions equally. Quite the opposite, considering the fact how different are people physically, I would conclude their internal level of hormones influencing their current mood must vary significantly.

With that in mind, I doubt one can adjust one’s feeling accordingly to fit every social norm, adopted by the given community. What is fun for Americans may render completely different results for Chinese.

Common sense cues us to pretend sorrow seeing a funeral or when encountering tragedy with many deaths involved.

On the other hand, should we mourn all people dying we would probably turn into dehydrated mummies as the enormous amount of shed tears would kill us in similar manner as we would be killed from scorching sun of dessert.

Furthermore, we are required to exercise appropriate hypocrisy; for instance, by absolute criterion, the death of fellow human is perceived as superior to death of one’s favorite pet

Just imagine how little sympathy would receive a fellow who says in all honesty: “I really don't care for the jerk Johny being run over by car yesterday. My cat accompanied me for twenty years passed away last week and you know it hurts much more.”

Compared to ancient Egyptians who knew how to bury cats with all deserved honors, we just dismiss pet’s departure as a natural occurrence, offering in the same time insincere tributes to poor Johny whose death might have been the best thing he could manage in his entire life.