Have you ever felt velvetmist? It’s a complex and subtle emotion that elicits feelings of comfort, serenity, and a gentle sense of floating. Peaceful, but more ephemeral and intangible than contentment. It might be evoked by the sight of a sunset or a moody, low-key album. If you haven't ever felt this sensation—or even heard of it—that's not surprising. A Reddit user named noahjeadie generated it with ChatGPT, along with advice on how to evoke the feeling. With the right essential oils and soundtrack, apparently, you too can feel like a soft fuzzy draping ghost floating through a lavender suburb.

Don't scoff. Researchers say more and more terms for these neo-emotions are showing up online, describing new dimensions and aspects of feeling. Velvetmist was a key example in a journal article about the phenomenon published in July 2025. But most neo-emotions aren't the inventions of emo artificial intelligences. Humans come up with them, and they're part of a big change in the way researchers are thinking about feelings, one that emphasizes how people continuously spin out new ones in response to a changing world. Velvetmist might've been a chatbot one-off, but it's not unique. The sociology behind these new emotions is fascinating.

The human experience is constantly evolving, shaped by technological advancements, cultural shifts, and a growing awareness of the nuances of mental well-being. As our world becomes more complex, so too does our emotional landscape. We need new words to describe these feelings, and the act of inventing them can be surprisingly rewarding.

Consider the rise of terms like "doomscrolling" or "digital fatigue." These aren't emotions in the traditional sense, but they capture specific feelings tied to our modern digital lives. They provide a shared language for experiences that were previously difficult to articulate. This shared language is crucial for understanding and validating our own experiences, as well as connecting with others who feel the same way.

"The creation of new emotional terms is a sign of a healthy, evolving culture," explains Dr. Anya Sharma, a leading researcher in affective computing. "It shows that we are actively engaging with our internal states and seeking to understand them better. It's a form of emotional granularity, allowing us to differentiate between subtle shades of feeling."

But why does inventing these new emotions feel so good? Part of the answer lies in the sense of agency it provides. In a world that often feels overwhelming and uncontrollable, naming an emotion gives us a sense of mastery over our inner world. It's an act of self-discovery and self-expression, allowing us to define our own experiences rather than being defined by them.

Moreover, the act of creating a new emotion can be a deeply creative and imaginative process. It involves exploring the boundaries of language and feeling, and finding new ways to express the ineffable. This creative process can be inherently satisfying, tapping into our innate human desire for novelty and self-expression.

The rise of AI language models like ChatGPT has further democratized the process of emotion creation. As demonstrated by the example of velvetmist, these tools can be used to generate new emotional concepts and even provide guidance on how to experience them. While some may dismiss this as a frivolous exercise, it highlights the potential of AI to augment our emotional intelligence and expand our understanding of the human experience.

However, it's important to approach these AI-generated emotions with a critical eye. While they can be a valuable tool for exploration and self-discovery, they should not be seen as a replacement for genuine human connection and emotional understanding. The true value of inventing new emotions lies in the human experience behind them, the shared understanding and validation that they provide.

Looking ahead, the trend of inventing new emotions is likely to continue as our world becomes increasingly complex and interconnected. As we grapple with new challenges and opportunities, we will need new ways to articulate our experiences and connect with one another on a deeper level. The act of inventing new emotions may be more than just a fleeting trend; it may be a fundamental part of how we adapt and thrive in the 21st century.