Anxiety, Envy, Embarrassment, and Ennui: How the New Emotions are Represented (Inside Out 2 Movie Analysis)
Anxiety, Envy, Embarrassment, Ennui. How important are these new emotions?
In Inside Out 2, we are introduced to a host of new emotions that exist within Riley’s psyche. We were already introduced to Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust and Fear from the first film, so the new emotions only adds a new layer of complexity to Riley’s psychological make-up.
The new emotions are Anxiety, Envy, Embarrassment, and Ennui. These emotions may be quite familiar to many of us, as we deal with some form of them every day. Each emotion has been given a unique personality, a unique character design, and a unique role within the movie, all reflective of their role within our own psychology.
So how does the movie represent these emotions, and do they serve a purpose in our lives? Let us analyse each emotion (spoiler warning):
Anxiety
Anxiety is the de facto leader of the new emotions, which makes sense, as each of the new emotions has a hint of underlying anxiety as well. This will be analyzed later.
She is hyper, restless, and speaks a thousand words per minute. Upon arrival, she and the other new emotions hijack HQ and attempt to take over Riley’s emotional being. However, by the end of the movie, Anxiety and the other emotions reconcile with Joy and the original set of emotions, fully understanding that they all need each other in order to navigate Riley’s new, complex stage of life: puberty and the teenage years.
Anxiety’s Character Design
Anxiety is quite diminutive, and has quite unkempt hair (in ironic comparison to her hyper-organized nature). Her small, slim frame allows for rapid movement and limitless energy, which is a representation of how fast the anxious mind runs. At the climax of the movie, her stature even allows her to move so fast that she causes a mini-cyclone from her movement within HQ.
She is the colour orange, which is a combination of yellow and red, the colors of Joy and Anger. Orange is the color of enthusiasm, creativity, energy, and vitality. This is very fitting for the emotion of anxiety, as individuals during an anxious episode are filled with excess energy and creativity. Sometimes anxious people are creative enough that they formulate scenarios in their mind, positive or negative, creating even more anxiety; they are either anxious to avoid a negative outcome, or anxious to reach a positive outcome.
Anxiety is red and yellow combined, which means that the emotion anxiety has elements of joy and anger. Anger is prevalent within anxiety, as anxiety is somewhat driven by a form of aggression for the pursuit of a goal. In every anxious person is an anger that they are not where they want or need to be in that moment.
Joy is prevalent within anxiety, because anxiety has an addictive element to it, and many people find pleasure in healthy levels of anxiety. When people are doing things they enjoy, the anxiety they feel helps to maintain an intense level of focus, while also bringing them joy in the activity. This state of mind is commonly known as ‘flow’.
Why is Anxiety an Important Emotion?
Anxiety explains it herself within the movie, that she sees dangers that Riley is unaware of in the future. Anxiety prepares different scenarios within Riley’s mind so Riley is prepared for anything. Such is the purpose of healthy levels of anxiety: it trains you to be vigilant and prepared.
The energy you feel before an important event, the stress you feel before a difficult task, the fear you feel before a big leap into the unknown. All of that is driven by anxiety. Our anxiety is the best self-defence for dangers both seen and unseen. Anxiety engages our creativity and strategic minds to plan for contingencies and to create fail safes.
Anxiety also tells us when we are feeling negative about our current situation. As a response, our bodies gives us a large jolt of energy in order to propel us to move. Anxiety can sometimes exist as frustration and discontentment, showing our bodies that we want something greater than what we have now. Anxiety gives us the impetus to move forward and change our circumstances.
However, it is important that anxiety is kept under control. Much like in the movie, if excess anxiety takes over one’s mind, chaos ensues. When anxiety takes over, you literally do things that are out of character, as shown in the movie. When your mind creates too much anxiety, that is when you make mistakes. At this point, you must breathe, slow your thoughts down, and stay your hand from any rash actions. This is when clear and prudent thought must take over.
So much of the distress we feel comes from reacting instinctually instead of acting with conscientious deliberation. So much of what we get wrong comes from the same place. We’re reacting to shadows. We’re taking as certainties impressions we have yet to test. We’re not stopping to put on our glasses and really look.
-Ryan Holiday, ‘Stillness is the Key’
Anxiety must be channelled for productive purposes. It exists to keep you focused and energized, enabling you to fight off any threat that appears. It compels you to plan, to fight off threats, to run from dangerous situations, and to push to reach goals and avoid failure. Anxiety is one of the most powerful emotions in our psyche, especially if channelled in an appropriate direction. However, anxiety can wreck havoc if left unchecked and unregulated, as shown clearly within the movie. So always keep the Anxiety chair handy and ready for use when needed.
Vague fear is sufficient to deter us; the more it is explored, the less power it has over us. Which is why we must attack these faulty premises and root them out like the cancers they are. We were afraid because we didn’t know. We were vulnerable because we didn’t know. But now we do. And with awareness we can proceed.
-Ryan Holiday, ‘Courage is Calling’
Envy
Envy embodies captivation and awe at what the world presents to Riley, especially when Riley interacts with the people around her. Envy is always entranced and approaches new environments and people with a sense of wonder and admiration. She joins Anxiety in taking over the HQ, before she and the other new emotions integrate themselves peacefully with the original emotions.
Envy takes the lead of Anxiety, which is fitting of her emotion of envy, in the sense that envy is a form of anxiety. Envy is being anxious to obtain the things others have. When we feel envy, we feel the anxiety of lack, and that anxiety pushes us to obtain whatever it is we want that others also have. Envy plays an important part in Riley’s psyche, and also plays an important part in our lives too.
Envy’s Character Design
Envy is portrayed as a diminutive figure, with her head being disproportionately bigger than her body. Her small stature demonstrates how small and inferior one feels when in the presence of someone they deem superior in some way, or in other words, someone they greatly envy. Her size is also indicative of the fact that envy is inconspicuous and discreet, and hard to detect in other people. Envy can only be seen in flashes, either verbally or through one’s body language. So the same way envy is small and hard to see in others, so is Envy portrayed as small and easy to physically overlook.
She is designed with the color aquamarine, which is one of the many combinations of green and blue, the colors of Disgust and Sadness. Blue is the color of calmness and tranquillity, like the calm yet moving ocean, indicating that those experiencing envy seems calm and stable, yet hold a great depth of emotions underneath. Their emotions of discontent, awe, and insecurity only appears as slight ripples within the vast ocean of expression. The color blue is also the color of Sadness, meaning that people experiencing envy is sad that they are inferior to one or another the way they are. They are sad that they are not gifted with the things others are gifted with.
The color green is associated with Disgust, meaning that envious people, especially when the emotion of envy are taken to the extremes, are disgusted at two people: at themselves for not being better than they are, or at others for being unfairly blessed with their comparatively good fortunes. Green is also literally the color of envy, hence the phrase being ‘green with envy’. However, green is also the color of optimism, renewal, luck and growth. On the positive side, envy is a great facilitator for growth, and allows optimism for the hope of improving your station in life and growing as a person, all represented by the color green.
Why is Envy an Important Emotion?
We humans are creatures of status. Where we sit in our immediate hierarchy matters greatly to us, which is why we constantly compare ourselves and our perceived intrinsic value to others. We want to surpass or at least be equal to those who have the qualities or material objects that we value. Hence, the origin of our sense of envy. Envy helps manage our place and status among our peers.
Everyone has insecurities. When you show yourself in the world and display your talents, you naturally stir up all kinds of resentment, envy, and other manifestations of insecurity.
-Robert Greene, ‘The 48 Laws of Power’
Envy forces us to look at others and to look at ourselves, and see where we can be better in comparison. The greatest forms of inspiration and motivation can come from seeing what others have and aspiring to be like them. We look at the skills they have and what we lack, and we make a conviction to strive to be just like them. Competition facilitates growths, as it pushes competitors and participants in a game to be better so they can win. Envy is a strong emotion to push us forward, especially when we only compare ourselves to others on the basis of skills and attributes.
The danger of envy is that it can sometimes force us to compare ourselves to other not by skills, but by intrinsic value as a human being. This is especially true to those who use envy carelessly. Envy can also cause one to feel a great deal of resentment to not only others, but also to oneself for not living up to their own expectations. At this point, one must recall all the skills that they already have, all the challenges they have overcome, and all the good fortunes they have experienced. In other words, gratitude is an excellent defence against the negative forces of envy.
The character Envy is an excellent example of positive envy, in such a way that she is almost never resentful towards others. The only drawback to her character is that Envy’s sense of inferiority can get the best of her. The trick is to not channel envy of others for self-hatred and insecurity, but for humility and constant growth.
First, accept the fact that there will be people who will surpass you in some way, and also the fact that you may envy them. But make that feeling a way of pushing yourself to equal or surpass them someday. Let envy turn inward and it poisons the soul; expel it outward and it can move you to greater heights.
-Robert Greene, ‘The 48 Laws of Power’
Embarrassment
Embarrassment in the movie is the muscle of the group, as he is the strongest physically. He does not speak or show his face that much, if at all, as if he is in perpetual embarrassment. Embarrassment is the main emotion that physically muscled the original emotions out of HQ, before he, along with the other new emotions, accept their place alongside Riley’s original emotions from the first movie.
Embarrassment is essentially social anxiety, which emerges especially when one commits a social hiccup. As humans are social creatures, herd animals, and can only exists functionally in groups, embarrassment causes one to feel anxiety at the prospect of exclusion from the group. Hence, Embarrassment follows the lead of Anxiety with very few questions, both metaphorically and literally in the movie.
Embarassment’s Character Design
Embarrassment is large and lumbering, which belies his quiet and bashful demeanor. He wears a hoodie and jeans, mirroring the clothing that angsty, socially-awkward teens would often wear. His hoodie allows for Embarrassment to quickly cover his face during bouts of embarrassment and social consciousness. His physical stature reflects how people feel during a bout of embarrassment, in which they feel as if they are the elephant in the room, as if all eyes are on them. Embarrassment can be overpowering for short bouts, and that is reflected by his physically imposing nature but his subdued personality.
Embarrassment is the color pink, possibly representing the idea of being ‘pink with embarassment’. Pink is also associated with sweetness, tenderness, femininity, nurturing, compassion, and naiveté. These traits are usually demonstrated in those with high levels of social consciousness, with embarrassment being a manifestation of social consciousness in excess. Social consciousness compels people to demonstrate traits that allows them to be accepted within a group, such as the traits associated with the color pink. The fact that pink is associated with femininity is no coincidence either, as woman tend to typically be more socially conscious as well as more self-conscious than men in their social environment.
Pink is also a combination of red (which is the color of Anger) and white. Red in this case represents a deep-rooted anger that is found when one is embarrassed. The anger is directed at the social environment (albeit subconsciously) for not accepting them as they are and eliciting feelings of embarrassment and social consciousness, which is especially true for toxic social groups.
The white represents cleanliness, blankness, simplicity, emptiness, and minimalism. The white within the color of pink represents the idea that those feeling embarrassed wants to minimize their presence and disappear, as white is also technically and physically the absence of color through the combination of all colors on the spectrum. White is a contrast to Embarrassment's large stature in the film, as Embarrassment would rather embody the emptiness and blankness of the color white in moments of social anxiety.
Why is Embarrassment An Important Emotion?
Human civilization would not be possible if we didn’t know how to exist among each other socially. Humans live in groups, each with their own culture and own set of rituals and beliefs. Our tendency to conform to our immediate social group reflects this. We always want our behavior to reflect the larger group’s values and principles, which is why we are so careful to not act in a way that will ruin our reputation with a group. The fear of embarrassment is a biological mechanism to keep us from strange behavior that can jeopardize our standing in the group and can ruin our reputation. Embarrassment keeps us from doing things that socially isolates us.
A solid reputation increases your presence and exaggerates your strengths without you having to spend much energy. It can also create an aura around you that will instill respect, even fear.
-Robert Greene, ‘The 48 Laws of Power’
When we feel embarrassed because of a social hiccup, the feeling we feel tells our brains to avoid the behavior in the future, as our reputation within the group must be upheld and group harmony cannot be disrupted. Our reputations are very important to us. We must do what we can to have a reputation that people respect, which is why we must be careful of how we act around others. We cannot lose our sense of self-control within any social environment and embarrass ourselves, as our power and influence comes from how people perceive us. Our good reputation ensures our social survival.
In the social realm, appearances are the barometer of almost all of our judgements, and you must never be misled into believing otherwise. One false slip, one awkward or sudden change in your appearances, can prove disastrous. This is the reason for the supreme importance of making and maintaining a reputation that is of your own creation.
-Robert Greene, ‘The 48 Laws of Power’
Embarrassment allows us to remain within our immediate group and to not experience social isolation. The social anxiety we feel allows us to act in line of the group and to stay connected to others. It is dangerous to experience social isolation, because all people need others to survive. As the famous quote tells us truthfully, ‘no man is an island’. So we must become exceptionally skilled within the social realm. We must build our reputations and learn how to interact with other people. We must learn how to speak eloquently, listen attentively, and use our bodies to express ideas. Most especially, we must exercise self-control, so as to not step out of line, embarrass ourselves, and risk exclusion from the group.
However, it is important that we do not emulate the character Embarrassment and let social anxiety overpower us. So often, Embarrassment is too anxious to talk or to even make proper eye contact with the other characters. So that is where our confidence and sense of self comes in. We must be confident in what we can contribute to the group, but also have the confidence to not be too conscious of other peoples perceptions to the point that we are petrified to make a mistake. The social environment allows for minor mistakes, so we cannot allow the prospect of making small mistakes to immobilize us.
Since humans are social creatures, it follows that the social arts that make us pleasant to be around can be practiced only by constant exposure and circulation. The more you are in contact with others, the more graceful and at ease you become.
-Robert Green, ‘The 48 Laws of Power’
We must also be aware when a social group is not worth feeling embarrassed for. Why would you feel embarrassed to step out of line within a group that is toxic, indecent, and disregards higher virtues such as truthfulness, compassion, humility, gratitude, and contribution? In these cases, let go of your fear of embarrassment, have confidence in your own convictions and your ability to assimilate to a better group, and leave.
The character Embarrassment is an exaggeration of social consciousness. Embarrassment keeps us alive when we are among our friends, but excessive embarrassment can immobilize us and keep us from a state of stillness and inner peace.
A good reputation is better than expensive perfume; and the day you die is better than the day you are born.
-Ecclesiastes 7:1
Ennui
Ennui is a slim, soft-spoken character of a few words and little energy. She is mostly existing in the background, lazing about and portraying indifference during his stay at HR. Ennui, which is a French term to describe boredom, apathy, lethargy, and listlessness, is well-portrayed by the low vitality movements and sullen demeanor of the character.
Ennui can be described as the polar opposite of Anxiety. Anxiety represents high emotion and energy, while Ennui represent low emotion and energy. Anxiety cares too much, while Ennui doesn’t care at all. However, in most cases of boredom, apathy and ennui, there exists subconsciously an underlying existential anxiety. Many people experience ennui or boredom because they are anxious about their lack of direction or purpose in life. Many times, their lack of meaning causes anxiety, which can manifest in life as apathy and boredom.
Ennui’s Character Design
Ennui is slender, quiet, lethargic, and unnoticeable. She wears hair banks that covers part of her eyes and dark clothing, reflecting her eagerness to stay still and blend into the background. Her mysteriousness, distance, and discreet nature is a metaphor of how many if us, if not all, have some form of existential boredom that we are unaware of. Her slow and sullen movements is a reflection of much slower we move due to boredom, as boredom is a low energy state, in contrast to excitement.
When seeing Ennui move, it is almost like she exists in another reality where time moves slower, giving truth to the idea that ‘time goes by so slowly when you spend it waiting’, or when you wait and do nothing with your time. Very different to the truth that ‘time flies when you’re having fun’. Ennui always seems like there is no fun in her life. Like nothing matters to her, and she is just existing until she dies. Much like many of us are.
Her color design is of the color periwinkle, which is a shade of a combination of purple and blue, the colors of Fear and Sadness. The color blue is the color of calm, tranquility and stillness, however Ennui is a manifestation of excessive stillness and nothingness. Blue is a color of low energy, as it represents peace and stability, or no movement, which is fitting for the emotion of boredom. Blue is also the color of sad emotions, in the same way the emotions of boredom, apathy, and aimlessness have a tinge of sadness for the hopelessness and meaninglessness of life. Sadness, apathy, and lack of meaning usually leads to depression, which is fitting as Ennui literally looks like a depressed teenager.
The purple shade within Ennui’s color design represents the fear and existential dread for a lack of meaning. Many people who are bored any aimless literally fear that their existence is meaningless. Their existential anxiety is usually hidden behind an exterior of apathy and indifference. Purple is also the color of regality, royalty, mystery and wisdom. When under the feeling of ennui, many portray a facade of superiority and regality, pretending that they are above the pettiness of life’s problems. As a result, they seem indifferent and apathetic to the world around them, like how a bad king in a purple cloak acts superior to his subjects.
When it comes to wisdom, another trait of the color purple, many people experience existential ennui and a sense of meaninglessness after careful study and analysis of their lives in this world. Ennui can at times result from one’s wisdom, as they realize that their existence has little purpose in the grand scheme of the world. As a result, they become disengaged from the world and give up on their lives, content with just existing until they die. The best example of a sense of meaninglessness due to wisdom is King Solomon, where he realizes the aimlessness of his wordly pursuits after being granted wisdom by God.
“Vanity of vanities”, says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity”. What profit has a man from all his labor in which he toils under the sun? One generation passes away, and another generation comes; But the Earth abides forever.
-Ecclesiastes 1: 2–4
Why is Ennui An Important Emotion?
All humans need a sense of purpose, a reason for being, and meaningful work to do. We need to feel that what we do in this world matters, and that our deeds will last even after our deaths. Our hope in creating positive impact and contributing to our fellow men is rooted in our conscious mind, and is rooted in our will to live. Without meaning, we would be like zombies: dead while we are still alive.
Which is where ennui, or boredom and apathy comes from. The sense of boredom or listlessness tells us that we are unsatisfied and unhappy in our current state, so that gives us the impetus to move. It tells us that we are currently on the wrong path in life. The reason why Ennui is not as active as the other emotions in Riley’s mind is because boredom comes only fleetingly, especially in our fast-paced world. However, the sense of aimlessness and apathy is always in the background of our subconscious, much like Ennui is always in the background.
To offset boredom and apathy, it is important to find a direction in life, and to take it. If we feel apathy or boredom from the direction we took, then change direction. However, we must understand that at times when we are travelling the path set for us and fulfilling the reason why we are put on this Earth, occasional boredom is inevitable. There will be tasks that we do not want to do and are not as engaging as others, however they must be done in order to continue walking in the path we desire.
It appears that the meaning that most effectively sustains life is to be found in the adoption of responsibility. When people look back on what they have accomplished, they think, if they are fortunate: “Well, I did that, and it was valuable. It was not easy. But it was worth it”.
-Jordan Peterson, ‘Beyond Order’
If we are confused as to which path to take, and that indecision, stagnation and anxiety at our sense of confusion results in apathy at life, then we must still choose a path. Pick a path, any path, and start walking. The soul needs a deep meaning to live. We need to know our existence matters, and the sense of meaning only comes when we choose a path. The best way to keep ennui at bay is to find meaing in our own lives and to keep moving. The world and our lives within moves fast, and we must move with it.
However, ennui and boredom also serves a positive function other than telling us to move: it tells us that we are content with the current situation. What does that mean? Sometimes, you need to slow down and stop. Being still and being completely present to the world around you, while doing nothing, is great for long-term well-being. There are times when boredom is the best thing for an overworked mind and a tired soul. At times, we should practice being comfortable in boredom and lethargy. Our mind does not always need things to keep it occupied. We don’t always have to be around people or exciting stimuli. Sometimes, it is good to feel the boredom, think of nothing at all, and remain still in the moment. The easiest time to practice gratitude and peace of mind is when our minds are empty and our bodies are relaxed. Ennui knows when is the right time to move and to care about things, and when to chill and to let things be.
The character Ennui is representative of our fear of our underlying existential boredom, which can rectified by taking on responsibility and pursuing something worthwhile. Ennui also represents our need sometimes to be bored, remain still and stagnant, and enjoy the present and the world around us without worry.
People don’t have enough silence in their lives because they don’t have enough solitude. And they don’t get enough solitude because they don’t seek out or cultivate silence. It’s a vicious cycle that prevents stillness and reflection, and then stymies good ideas, which are almost always hatched in solitude.
-Ryan Holiday, ‘Stillness is the Key’
Anxiety, Envy, Embarassment, and Ennui can be considered as more ‘mature’ emotions compared to the original set of emotions. They are very complex emotions, and they contribute to our sense of self and our well-being. It is up to us to learn, practice, and understand the utility of these emotions and to use them in our everyday lives. Understand how the new emotions are represented, and apply the lessons these emotions grant us.
