🃏 The Joker, Neurodivergence and the Need to Feel Something 🃏

After watching Joker (2019), I thought about how the film portrays the desperate need to feel something, to connect with the world, and to break free from emotional numbness. 

Arthur Fleck’s journey into darkness comes from a place of isolation and emotional invalidation, a place where the world fails to recognise his need to be seen and understood.

For me, this resonated in a profound way. While I don’t experience emotions in the explosive, overwhelming way that Arthur does, my emotions have always been muted, quiet, but always present. It’s a paradoxical reality shaped by my neurodivergence. I don’t suppress my feelings, but I live a life where emotions are subtle and sometimes elusive. Yet, they are still there, shaping how I see the world.

My gift lies in being able to verbalise emotions that others may not be able to express. While Arthur’s world spirals out of control because he can’t find a way to process or communicate his emotions, I’ve found a way to articulate mine. This ability to put feelings into words, especially emotions that don’t always fit the typical mould of how we think we should feel, gives me clarity and connection in ways that are uniquely my own.

The Emotional Revolution I’m championing is not just about preventing emotional suppression; it’s about embracing the diversity of emotional experiences. Whether your emotions are muted, intense, or somewhere in between, they all matter. We don’t all feel in the same way, and that’s okay. In fact, it’s more than okay, it’s human.

The film made me reflect on the critical need to validate emotions, no matter how they manifest. We all have an inner voice, and that voice deserves to be heard, whether it whispers or shouts. It’s not about fitting into the societal expectation of emotional intensity or outward expression. It’s about honouring the way you experience emotions and finding your own way to express them.

What if Arthur had found a way to verbalise his emotions? What if he had felt validated, seen, and supported? His tragedy is a stark reminder of what happens when emotional needs are neglected or disregarded. My mission, and the heart of the Emotional Revolution, is to ensure that no one has to reach the extreme just to feel something.

The truth is, we all have emotional struggles. Whether muted or overwhelming, we all experience emotions, and the way we express them is unique. In my work, I aim to build a world where these differences are celebrated, where asking for help and expressing your emotional reality, no matter what it looks like, is a sign of strength, not weakness.

🧠 Neurodivergent or neurotypical, can navigate emotions differently. That is why the Emotional Revolution is for everyone. Whether you feel emotions deeply or quietly, you deserve the space to express them in your way.

Thanks for reading.

Mark