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The Age of Emotion

4 Extra Debut. In both schools and workplaces, psychotherapist Philippa Perry explores whether we're in a new age of emotion. From 2017.

We’re bombarded with emotions these days – in the news, in advertising.

We expect our politicians to show their emotions in order to seem authentic, and in schools and work places emotional resilience classes and emotional therapies are on the rise.

As we seem to be casting off the traditional stiff upper lip, psychotherapist Philippa Perry asks whether, in this new age of emotion, we're putting how we feel before what we think.

She goes to the country’s first, so-called positive university in Buckingham which is introducing mindfulness classes.

She asks whether getting young people more in touch with their emotions is helping them deal with the challenges of life - or creating a generation of emotional snowflakes.

Philippa also explores the trend for big brands wanting big data about our emotions, and speaks to journalist Julia Raeside and historian Tiffany Watt Smith about how our emotions have changed, and the impact of the media on how we experience our own emotions.

Producer: Jo Wheeler

A Just Radio production for Âé¶¹Éç Radio 4, first broadcast in August 2017.

Available now

30 minutes

Last on

Wed 22 Apr 2026 00:30

Broadcasts

  • Fri 18 Aug 2017 11:00
  • Wed 14 Feb 2018 21:00
  • Tue 21 Apr 2026 10:30
  • Tue 21 Apr 2026 16:30
  • Wed 22 Apr 2026 00:30