Full Idea
To some extent our emotions cannot be controlled. But to say that we are not responsible for our emotions is to ignore the possibility of educating them over time, so that, ideally, our responses come to be consonant with deliberated rational choices.
Gist of Idea
Emotional control is hard, but we are responsible for our emotions over long time periods
Source
Peter Goldie (The Emotions [2000], 4 'Education')
Book Reference
Goldie,Peter: 'The Emotions' [OUP 2002], p.12
A Reaction
So people go on anger management courses, or talk through crises with councellors. This idea describes most people correctly, but some are in the grips of passions which seem impossible to control.