Anger: A Plague or Pleasure?

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Anger is a natural emotion that can either be positive or negative, sometimes both at the same time. Anger could either make or mar us.
However, I think that the effects of anger is distinct to each individual, just as expressing this emotion varies to each person.

As for me, I simply detest this emotion. In fact, I get angry when my anger flares up and becomes uncontrollable. But I don't try to stifle it anyway, I let it be known. For instance, when someone offends me or treats me unjustly and I get angry, I don't try to hide it. I let that person know what I'm feeling. Not in action but in words. I also ensure to give my reasons for feeling that way. And if trying to resolve the conflict leads to more heated anger, I disengage and give myself some time to think and then re-engage calmly.

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This is because being angry does more harm than good to me. It's distressing, disrupts my peace of mind and it spurs my destructive self in physical, mental, emotional and spiritual terms.

Venting anger may be pleasurable and calming to some but for me it's more like a plague. I hate myself when I say or do things out of anger. That is why I try to discipline myself to remain calm whilst expressing my emotion in an unharmful way.

Although, anger isn't completely a bad guy because in some situations, it looks out for us by guiding us from dangerous or destructive people, places or even systems of belief. Anger can alert us to injustice and it can be a powerful boundary indicator.

In some cases, anger may also be a necessary tool for change. For instance, engaging in protests against bad implementation or getting angry at our bad habits and seeking reform, etc.

However, anger is not actually a good tool for bringing change in every situation. At least not a healthy tool. And an instance is a case whereby Mr. A fumes with anger and desires to be better just because Mr. B is more successful. That's nothing more or less than envy/jealousy and we all know how ill-boding it can be. I'm not saying that we shouldn't strive for self-improvement but it should be for the right purpose and in the right approach.

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I honestly don't think self-improvement should be a justifiable excuse for volatile anger. I believe that one's success should rather motivate and not irritate us. In as much as anger is completely human and inevitable, we shouldn't just embrace its grim but learn to manage it effectively.

This post is in response to the @hive-learners weekly featured topics for week 26 edition 1 on the title “ANGER”.

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