Happiness Quote by Sianne Ngai
““On one hand, the state of being “animated” implies the most general of all affective conditions (that of being “moved” in one way or another), but also a feeling that implies being “moved” by a particular feeling, as when one is said to be animated by happiness or anger. Animatedness thus seems to have both an unintentional and intentional form. In a strange way, it seems at once a zero-degree feeling and a complex meta-feeling, which not only takes other feelings as its object, but takes only other intentional feelings as its object. For we can speak of someone’s being “animated” by a passion like anger, but not by an objectless mood like nostalgia or depression, which tend to have a de-animating effect on those affected by them.””
About This Quote
Animatedness describes being moved by a specific emotion, combining unintentional feeling with intentional response, and applies only to intentional emotions, not vague moods.
In simple terms: Being animated means feeling moved by a clear emotion.
Key Takeaway
Recognize which emotions truly animate you.
Themes
emotion
psychology
philosophy
Mood
thoughtful
analytical
Type
theoretical
critical
When to use this quote
- art criticism
- personal reflection
- therapy
- education
Key Concepts
meta‑feeling
intentionality
affect theory
Questions to Reflect On
- What emotions animate you?
- Can a mood become intentional?
A Different Perspective
Animatedness may be hard to distinguish from general mood.
