Ethics from Awe?

Awe is an emotion I have experienced much more often, after having moved from the big city three decades ago to a rural setting in the woods. As I slowed down and opened myself up to the many wonders of my world, the experiences of awe and reverence occurred much more often. Where I once seemed to require a trip to some distant land to invoke a feeling of awe, it now seemed as if very simple things, like the sight of a bird taking flight or the swaying of a tall tree, could bring about that sense of amazement.

I have often used the word “awe” to describe my feeling of wonder, without always pausing to be sure I am using it properly or really delving deeper into the meaning of the word. My wonderings about the deeper meaning of awe was recently piqued when I read about the results of a study of awe conducted at the University of California at Irvine. The results helped me to realize how powerful and influential awe really can be.

First, consider the definition of awe, as given by the Oxford English Dictionary: “a feeling of reverential respect mixed with fear or wonder.” Yes, that seems to capture the emotion, but I was intrigued by the use of the word “fear” in the definition. As I pondered it, I realized that when we feel awe, it's often because the thing we're viewing not only is magnificent, but can also cause us to feel very small and timid in its presence. Standing atop a mountain and gazing out at some vast scene can put us in our place—not just to feel diminished, but also to feel that we are a tiny part of a vast universe; a universe both fantastic and intimidating. Watching a thunderstorm brings about both wonder and alarm.

In fact, the researchers at UC Irvine found that people who experienced awe were more inclined to be generous and kind afterward. That is a fascinating finding! Their study discovered that awe can literally cause us to reduce the focus on ourselves; that we begin to forgo self-interest and become more inclined to want to improve the welfare of our world and other people. In other words, awe can not only invoke a reverential feeling, but induce us to become more ethical in our behavior. That's a causal connection I'd never realized before, but it seems logical that after being moved by the wonder of some experience, one would be more likely to act more altruistically. In contrast, I'm certainly not going to want to feel kindly toward others after I have had a shocking and revolting experience!

So I wonder: has a more frequent experience of awe made me a more ethical person? That's a judgment I don't feel inclined to make, but I do appreciate reading about research to this effect. It helps me feel gratitude that awe comes more often to me these days. It also is a good reminder that it can be counterproductive to try to bring the world down to my size; to render it something within my dominion or under my control. If I can let go of that feeling of mastery and allow myself to feel amazed—even a little fearful—it just might become beneficial to my behavior.