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True, but it can be, and much easier to control than irrational fear, which gives religion its power over individuals. That too can be controlled, but it takes a lot more effort, which requires that one discard the willful ignorance they cleave to so desperately.
OCD is probably as hard to manage as anger. But I guess it's good to keep your anger under a certain level. Since we are comparing other irrational things to anger.
Religious or otherwise, anger is not a bad reactionary emotion per se. It is what one does with their anger that matters. To attempt to hold onto or suppress one's anger will result in it's emerging; being projected onto the environment in one form or another.
Not sure I agree with the advice in the OP. To do so would mean that you are allowing the rage of others to decide what arguments you should be walking away from.
Instead better advice would be to simply choose ones battles, debates, campaigns, arguments and so on based on the ones that are worth fighting... regardless of the personal feelings of other people also partaking in that same discourse.
That said however it is all too easy to mistake... or in some cases deliberately misconstrue for ad hominem effect... people with opinions as being "angry". I have strong opinions on the topic of religion for example and I espouse them often. It is not unheard of for people to bypass/ignore my points by simply declaring me angry and other such ad hominem when in fact I am unaware of ever feeling, or expressing, that emotion on these fora.
Further, as the user above me just said, anger is not a bad thing per se. It is how it is focused and used that can be good or bad. Anger can in fact be a useful and worthy motivator such as ones anger at an injustice for example.
Nozzferrahhtoo...I agree with you about anger being an important and necessary motivator at times when it comes to speaking-out or standing-up against injustices and unfairness in society...It's scary when people become too passive and too compliant. Those at the "top" can do whatever they want and "get away with murder" so to speak!...So many people come from the perspective that "being nice" and "being good" means never "getting angry." Don't you think? Thanks.
There is a lot of that yes. Coupled with the fact that people are too willing to take any disagreement as some form of "anger" the word itself becomes overused and meaningless too quickly.
People seem to see any disagreement as a personal attack and affront to them and it ruins Discourse when they do it.
Nozzferrahhtoo...Thanks for your response. You're right. Some people can be very "touchy" and take things very, very "personally."...I don't expect people to agree with me or share my beliefs etc..We're all different and unique. Thank goodness we're not "clones" of each other because that would be boring!...I try to push myself to be open-minded versus close-minded. How can I see new "sides" to anything or learn anything new if I keep my mind closed?...I don't want to make my life about "proving myself right" or remaining "stuck" in my existing beliefs until the day I die! If I run across some new ideas or beliefs that "ring true" to me I'll jump for joy! (Because I want to keep expanding my knowledge and "life-view" as much as possible while I'm still here on earth.)...How do you feel about it? Thanks for the discussion!
How do you feel about it? Thanks for the discussion!
Similar actually. I see a forum like this one to be a place to find out where I am wrong, not a place to tell everyone else where I am right. In the process I get to help other people see where they are wrong.
The fact is unless we are arrogant enough to think we are perfect then we are ALL wrong somewhere. We just need help to find out where. Forums such as this let you use the skills and knowledge of others to help do that.
Alas there are those who lessen this by needing to be right, or getting offended when they are told where they are wrong. THEY get angry then they project that anger back. So if I tell someone where they are wrong, they tell me that I am the angry one when in fact their offense at being corrected has made them the angry one.
Remember to be shown where one is wrong is a GOOD thing, not a bad one. I, for one, wish it happened more often to me and I was shown where I am wrong more often.
People seem to only be interested in a few things that immediately affect their personal lives. Anything else about other religions people, lifestyles, culture or philosophy get shoved out the back door as irrevelant. This of course breeds ignorance and since we have a tendency to dislike people and things that are different or we know little about, we end up disliking or even hating. And hate brings anger, especially if our feelings, our sensibilities have been violated by someone who may have disagreed with or even challenged our traditions, customs or values. Too bad, too sad as my grandma used to say.
Nozzferrahhtoo...I agree with you. I don't want to be surrounded by "yes people" who always "go along" with me and never challenge me to "think beyond" my existing beliefs...And it's boring to hang-out with "yes people" anyway and people who don't have ideas and thoughts (and questions) of their own...A lot of people hang-out with "like-minded thinkers." Pretty much everyone in their "circle" and "group" and "world" shares their beliefs..This can definitely foster a sense of "rightness" and maybe even arrogance...I've never been much of a "group person" and I tend to be (mostly) a loner. So my ideas and thoughts and beliefs may seem "way out there" at times to people who are used to interacting with others in "like-minded groups." I don't always "follow" or "mirror" what others say or think..I'm not saying that this makes me better than anyone else but it definitely makes me "different!" Maybe you feel this way too! Do you?...I think a lot of people may be looking for "expected responses" and validation and "agreement" because this is what "plays-out" in their "groups" and "circle" of friends and family members the most of all...Of course some people do run into "conflicts" with certain family members or co-workers or neighbors or friends at times. (It's inevitable!) But when they have a choice most people spend their time with "like-minded thinkers" who validate their basic beliefs and culture etc. Don't you think?
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