Then, a few steps later, I notice the penny I had tossed away. Now feeling thrifty, I stop and pick up the penny, enjoying the emotion of being thrifty.
Nothing really happened physically, I tossed and picked up the same penny. But in that short space of time, I enjoyed two different emotions, wealth and thriftiness, neither of which cost me anything.
It doesn't matter that someone else might say that neither event was "real", that I was making it all up in my mind. What really did happen was that I made myself happy twice in a row, by enjoying two different emotions. I am not a greedy person, my emotions do not have to be "real" in order for me to enjoy them.
All emotions are of this nature. They have true value only for Entertainment. Analysis of them with regard to the "reality" of them is irrelevant to their basic nature.
Which means First, that I cannot take any emotion seriously; since any emotion is only me entertaining myself. For me to view any emotion of mine as fundamental to my worth as a human being, is beyond, way beyond, silly. They are all inside my head, they are all made up there. Sure, usually triggered by external events, but still, inside my head.
Second, since they spring into being inside my head, for my own entertainment, it makes precisely zero sense to suffer Unpleasant emotions. Why ever would I want to make myself, or allow myself to, feel bad? Exactly zero benefit to my life (or anyone else's).
A lot of people find emotions the best part of their lives. Well, a lot of people find their entertainments the best part of their lives. Same thing. A lot of people have their lives controlled by their emotions; and a lot of people have their lives controlled by their entertainments. Same thing
Intensity, intensity of feeling, is what makes emotions especially important for many people. Lost forever in boring logical low-intensity thought for most of the day, every day; intense emotions make such people feel more alive. Maybe the only time at all that they feel alive. Like battlefield soldiers with an adrenaline rush.