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100 sats \ 22 replies \ @k00b 14 Nov \ on: Stacker Saloon
When I asked a friend, with lots of experience and self-awareness, what the defining characteristic of anger is, he said self-righteousness.
it is a futile display of self-righteousness, that's what I always tell people when they ask me why I'm never angry.
what's the purpose?
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Some say a complete lack of anger is a deficiency, inirascibility.
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Well, I was mainly talking about unmotivated anger.
Anger that stems from lack of critical thinking and empathy.
Anger that stems from a single perspective being explored.
Anger that stems from solipsism.
I wasn't clear enough, but there's anger and anger.
It is, for me, embarrassing to withstand or produce a tantrum without a good cause.
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Doesn't self-righteousness have clearly negative connotations? From Wikipedia
Self-righteousness is an attitude and belief of moral superiority derived from a person deeming their own beliefs, actions, or affiliations to be of greater virtue than those of the average person.
If, as in the example, a person sees an animal being mistreated, and considers that an unacceptable injustice, and feels anger, motivating them to intervene, you'd call that self-righteous? Because the person believes they are morally superior due to their belief in animal rights? While, in fact, the average person would not agree?
Perceiving injustice is usually self-righteousness?
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you'd call that self-righteous?
no because:
moral superiority derived from a person deeming their own [...] to be of greater virtue than those of the average person.
Self-righteousness is basically moral arrogance, which is bad, we're talking superiority. Your example, instead, is empathy-based moral conviction.
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So there exists anger without self-righteousness? Then self-righteousness can't be the defining characteristic of anger.
(I'm not arguing petty anger doesn't exist or isn't the most common, or shouldn't be kept in check after having considered self-righteousness, btw.)
This is great, thanks for sharing!
He had identified a huge injustice in our world, and his anger would motivate him to attack it.
💯
I’m sure Satoshi was also pretty pissed at banks when he wrote the first version of Bitcoin and didn’t take any credit for it by disappearing two years later
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Proverbs 29:11
"A fool gives full vent to his spirit,
but a wise man quietly holds it back."
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I think it's useful when you
- have been wronged or are in danger
- need to act
- need to avoid thinking about the consequences
In modern life it tends to be less useful because we're often not in danger. IME it's almost more often that people get angry when they:
- want to act
- want to avoid thinking about the consequences
Then after they fact they manufacture how they've been wronged.
You’ve never been angry in your life? No one has ever treated you so badly that your reaction including anger wasn’t self-righteous but more like self-defense?
If you need an example: someone spits in your face. What do you do? Just walk away? Then they push you over. What now?
But I guess with “defining characteristic of anger,” we’re talking about people who are angry in general, not situationally?
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I got interested and asked myself what the evolutionary purpose of anger is. I found this:
The recalibration theory of anger suggests that anger serves an evolutionary purpose by motivating individuals to address perceived injustices and violations of social norms. Anger functions as a recalibration mechanism, signaling when individuals' goals or expectations have been thwarted and prompting them to take corrective action.Central to this psychological model is the idea that anger is not merely a destructive force but a strategic tool that can be employed to negotiate social hierarchies, assert boundaries, and protect one's interests. Anger is seen as an adaptive response that has evolved to promote survival and reproductive success. By mobilizing physiological and psychological resources, anger enables individuals to confront challenges and overcome obstacles in their environment.
This matches my experience of how anger can be useful. When somebody is angry with me, I make sure to take them serious and ask myself if I indeed did something wrong.
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Anger has also helped me assist a woman who was being treated badly by another man. While everyone on the train was shocked that he was threatening to hit her and she was crying, I stood up and told him to back off. It didn’t help much, because she still got off the train with him, but I just couldn’t watch that injustice.
However, I’m also very aware of how the bystander effect works (part of my training as a paramedic), so I don’t blame the other people on the train. I also didn’t feel like I would be putting my life on the line; otherwise, I probably wouldn’t have stood up, either.
So with asserting boundaries via anger, it’s not just your own boundaries, but also the boundaries of others.
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Wouldn't this have been possible without anger?
I guess it depends what is meant by anger. Anger at injustice but directed in a controlled way can be good. I don't know if uncontrolled anger can ever be good, except maybe as a survival instinct
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Wouldn't this have been possible without anger?
Sure, it would just have been more difficult. Anger helps to act now, and not get analysis paralysis.
Anger at injustice but directed in a controlled way can be good. I don't know if uncontrolled anger can ever be good, except maybe as a survival instinct
I agree
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