Anger is a tactic people use to prevent themselves from feeling vulnerable.
Anger is also a quick way to forge a group identity, joining people who don't want to feel vulnerable collectively.
But anger is a fragile bonding agent.
Anger is fickle, constantly seeking out new rationales and targets. And sometimes anger just ends.
@LnzyHou Ha ha! I think I'd be really *smart* if I knew what to do with this realisation.
For now, I think it's enough to motivate me keep taking inventory to ensure that I'm not allowing anger to seed itself too deeply into my motives.
I'm angry about a few things, and I can be honest about that. But anger is not a reliable energy source.
And I need to know that about others too, so that I'm not overly-influenced by their anger (which can be bizarrely, compellingly contagious).
Most of my life I covered fear and anxiety with anger. Always blaming the other for my angry responses.
Now I can see the same pattern in others which allows me to feel compassion. Some of the time.
Stifling that knee-jerk response takes deep self-awareness.
Thank you again.
@LnzyHou Thank you for doing the inner work, Lindsay! And for being a part of the journey toward compassion and away from, uh, all of the opposites. 🙂
there's definitely an anger virus epidemic currently. hatred and blaming come along for the ride.
@holon42 Oh, yes, it's so important to recognise each of these on their own.
We often conflate (for example) anger and hate (and our mass media and influencers aren't helping too much with this).
They aren't the same, and need to be processed in different ways.
oh yes, definitely.
@sumpnlikefaith
You are so smart.