If I asserted the claim that “anger is complicated,” the average reader may immediately respond with, “Of course anger’s complicated, all emotion is complicated.” However, the average reader would be wrong. To feel anger in modern society is to detriment one’s livelihood, a result which is unique to anger and no other human emotion. Of the six core emotions (fear, sadness, disgust, anger, happiness and surprise) gleaned during a study in 1972 by Paul Ekman and Wallace, anger is the outlier because of its widespread intolerability. I will not argue whether anger should be condemned as it is, but simply provide tips for navigating the stigma.
Most emotions are still socially acceptable to feel in public environments. Fear of mass-shooting grips the nation, especially with the recent massacre at the Pittsburgh synagogue. Widespread sadness and grief engulf our friends and neighbors after a tragedy, and disgust for sexual predators runs rampant. However, anger easily catches the critic’s eye in the United States. If a man unleashes a torrent of rage in a meeting, it signifies a lack of control over himself. The opinion being voiced is automatically ignored and we instead criticize the “immaturity” of his emotions. The frustrated man is looked down upon because his reaction is barbaric and uncivilized; anger is supposed to lie dormant in the catacombs of human history.
Human emotion initially emerged to increase survivability rates. We felt fear, we ran away from danger. We felt sadness, we acknowledged our own or a peer’s affliction. We felt disgust, we shied away from undesirables. All were beneficial towards the continued existence of humanity. Even anger could catalyze the defense against impending dangers or reoccurring hurts, thereby increasing our chances of survival. However, unlike other emotions, the response to an anger-inducing threat was always, and remains to this day, violence.
Anger and violence are undeniably intertwined. When two music fans scream at one another outside of a large concert venue, bystanders grab ahold of friends and disperse. Why? Because anger easily results in violence. After a raging comment, hands shove chests and eventually, the two fans fall to the ground in a twisting heap of arms and legs. This familiar conclusion to anger makes it impossible to attempt interaction with the participating parties. Who wants to associate with a red-faced, heavily breathing “lunatic?” No one, that’s who. By expressing anger, we risk losing social connections to acquaintances who might believe that our violence will seize control. In a modern world which requires friendship, kindness and understanding, anger undoubtedly inhibits growth and opportunities. Angry people must swim upstream, but a person who controls their anger sprouts gills on their neck and flaps fins for hands, the entire underwater universe at their disposal.
Uncontrolled anger is an outdated biological and psychological response to issues. The calm voice carries far more sway than a booming one. However, in lieu of angry responses, we should not simply shove our fury down to simmer. Instead, identify why the anger exists, first and foremost. To acknowledge and realize the threat is the first step towards positive action. After this, relax your mind and estimate the best course of action moving forward. Anger, with mindful choices, can easily be perceived as passion, a far more influential trait. Rather than screaming endlessly at your cohorts, enlist the correct path towards solving an issue: realize the problem, relax your mind and act mindfully according to passion.
Wyatt Brugge, a Contributing Writer for the Voice, can be reached for comment at WBrugge21@wooster.edu.