> We have emotions, and sometimes an emotion tells us an idea is bad, and that is more economical than analyzing carefully why an idea cannot work to ultimately arrive at the same conclusion that our gut already made.

I think this is exactly right. It also fits with what OP was saying that it is liberating to be in an environment where you can express your feelings like that.

Ylu shouldn't always just blurt out your gomut reactions, but if you have an environment of mutual trust, it's understandably a nice thing to be able to do.