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How Do People Survive So Angry? | |
Posted Dec 29, 2010 - 11:09:25
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 I read a lot of stuff on the internet - this is not exactly a surprising nor a unique thing about me. In fact, your very perusal of this text means you probably read a lot of stuff on the internet too.
Anyway, there's a lot of stuff that I end up stumbling across written by people who seem perpetually angry. I've met some of these people in real life too -- and it's not an act for a few of them, they really do spend their entire existence in a state of constant indignation.
And honestly, I don't know how they survive.
It's not that they're always wrong - some of them are spot on. Some of them are arrogant in their anger (as in "if you aren't angry too, you just don't understand -- not that I'd actually explain myself, I'll just condescend to you if you disagree") while others are humble and patient... but they're angry none the less. A perpetual, unending raging at the universe.
It's not that I never get angry -- far from it. There are things that can make me mad quite easily... but I just can't maintain that state. Maybe I'm far too much of an optimist. Maybe I can just see too much beauty in the world. Maybe I've just seen the sunrise one too many times. All I know is that there is too much good in the world for me to never lighten up. Not to mention being angry is exhausting. It takes a constant emotional energy that I just don't frankly have anymore.
Holding onto anger pulls at you, drains you, and slowly destroys you. I just can't see how it benefits anyone existing that way.
In my opinion, it's much better to be a positive force. Rather than railing against the symptoms in our culture, be a positive, hopeful influence trying to correct the cause. The angry people (especially the arrogant ones) rarely get anywhere near the causes of society's problems - instead railing against every sign. It's like fighting at the edge of something without ever understanding the big picture.
And when you're angry and so used to that state, you look for things to be angry about that might not even exist in reality. They search out sleights and problems that don't actually exist because it reinforces their worldview...
...and it's ridiculous...and exhausting. I don't understand how they do it. I know I couldn't.
- Traegorn
Mostly it's just that they can't separate themselves from that persona after having lived it for quite some time.
Angry is the "in" thing right now. Hopefully "appreciative and thankful to be living" will be the next big trend.
I feel like they believe they can only take action if they're mad -- but you know what? The person who wins the argument is the person who doesn't get mad. The person who wins the political debate is the person who doesn't get mad.
Calm and determined beats angry every time, and it lets you be happy often as well. Anger is negativity - and the last thing the world needs is more negativity.
ARRGH This post makes me so angry!!! ::frustrated grunt::
Anger can be a good thing though, a motivator to take action. Look at the Childs Play charity for a good example of anger as a motivator. It was basically started because Mike and Jerry were sick of being labeled as potential murderers just because they happen to like playing video games (I'm paraphrasing, scroll to the bottom to view their actual announcement here: http://www.penny-arcade.com/2003/11/24/).
I think the problem is when it just devolves into impotent rage. If it makes you angry but not enough to actually do something about it then you aren't really that angry.
Also, I'm disappointed that your keyboard picture didn't involve the caps-lock key, seems much more appropriate...
There's a difference though between being angry about something and Living Angry though.
The Penny Arcade guys got mad at first, but they didn't stay mad. They don't run Child's Play these days because they're mad - they run it because they care.
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