At the time I graduated from college, I had a minimum of emotional intelligence, just enough to qualify for human, I suppose, with numerous painful and mystifying experiences with failed relationships with others, for decades. In my early thirties, I was helped by 5 years of psychotherapy for subjective depression, brought on by a wildly overdeveloped superego. I recall that at work once, there was a guy who was reading a new book called Emotional Intelligence--he carried it around with him as if he wanted to advertise that he was reading it-- and I thought it was a peculiar book to bring into work especially since he was in such a hardcore, macho, all-male group. In my fifties, I had an opportunity to study for a master's degree in administration and took all human resources related subject. I used the master's program as an excuse to buy a copy of the book, and I used it as a source for several papers. I've read the book at least twice and need to read it again. Right now, I'd rate my emotional intelligence as about average, though with a few serious recent failures with people. People need to understand, this is not something where you read a book, achieve an intellectual understanding and then suddenly you have emotional intelligence. No, you've got to change. It takes self-awareness, experience ,and all that jazz. And it's damn hard work. Looking forward to reading the book again for more insights. I don't expect to ever master emotional intelligence, but I will always be trying to improve.
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