Anger is a worthless emotion.

I don't understand anger, as an emotion. I understand being upset; I understand being sad or hurt by someone's actions. But what is anger? Why would something make me angry? Is anger surprise at the depravity of another's action? It is more than disgust; it is personal offense. It is more than, "How could (s)he do this to me?" That is sadness. It seems to me that anger is pride. Anger is "Since when is life not fair? Where is the karma? I'm too good for something like this to happen to me." Anger is "I would never do something like that." (Oh, but you would! Though this is a different topic entirely.) What right do I have to be angry, when I am just as guilty as the next sinner? I am, however, sad.

Anger is so fleeting and it comes so easily, without thought or logic. We flare up immediately following an event that makes us unhappy. We get so much power, fuel from anger. We use it to justify so many things, to get attention, boost reputation, gain power, kill. Anger is rash. Anger is to become something that is not me -- or, at least, something I don't have control over.

Suddenly I understand anger (wrath) as one of the seven deadly sins.

And I think it is a mistake to believe we need anger. (To fuel, provoke, cause, manipulate, motivate action or whatever.) Banishing anger is not the same as banishing passion -- to not get angry over something is not to say I can't feel strongly about it.

Current music:
Daisy, by Switchfoot
The Blues, by Switchfoot
Shadow Proves the Sunshine, by Switchfoot
Who I Am Hates Who I've Been, by Relient K
I So Hate Consequences, by Relient K
Poison Ivy, by Matthew Thiessen and the Earthquakes

Currently reading:
The Bourne Identity, by Robert Ludlum
Catch-22, by Joseph Heller