How To Capitalize Anger.

I think in our modern society, anger and frustration are seen as negative concepts, which can be defined as altogether "bad" things. Ultimately this has led to the belief that anger is a hidden demon, and that any display of negative emotion is also a display of one's savagery, and therefore the inability to hold together cognitive thought.

 

I see it mostly in the realm of western politics and sciences, but I find it's nearly impossible to ignore when it comes up in the media.

 

But I believe that anger should be utilized as a tool, rather than looked down upon as something terrible. I mean, we all know of the adrenaline rush, of the sense of urgency that comes when you're angry.

 

So why don't we utilize it to a better extent?

 

Back in the spring, I was angry for numerous reasons, people treating me like garbage, lack of freedom, you name it, and I transfered that anger and malcontent into a workout routine. I can't say that the workouts left me feeling better, but I found I could channel the anger into endurance. I would do intense workouts that normally I would never do. I would lift weights and run for hours. I was able to sprint for a solid 9 minutes, another thing I could never do.

 

One could say it was the adrenaline, but I'd like to blame the anger FOR that adrenaline, a direct correlation.

 

Therefore, how valid is anger as a tool, rather than as something to be feared or looked upon with distaste?

 

Wouldn't it be better to encourage the release of anger into things such as exercise, sports, art, and others?

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Permalink Reply by Lore on December 25, 2010 at 5:22pm
Thanks for this. I'm a pretty angry person most of the time. I think that sometimes I can use my anger as a motivational tool and channel my rage into something constructive like working out at the gym.
Permalink Reply by Michael Dalgard on December 25, 2010 at 6:24pm
Working out really helps me. I have this thing my anger management class sent me to called 'Gladiator Camp'; Not only do they help you with things in your life that make you angry, but they give you confidence by hardcore non-stop workout routines
Permalink Reply by Kokomo on December 26, 2010 at 1:02am
I have a lot of anger directed at the universe and possibly God. No anger in people in general, but that might change. I have started to rap and by doing that  I have begun to reflect on myself as a human being. I am seriously looking at the state of myself and the rage that was bottled up inside is oozing out like Niagara falls! Before I could not describe it, but now bit by bit I am able to see the bigger picture, and I am transforming into a more complex creature, because by rapping I have opened a portal for my dark passenger. The one that has anger for society is coming out, and hopefully he will be insightful, and entertaining when he rhymes.
Permalink Reply by Rocker01 on December 26, 2010 at 6:48am
Hell yea, working out does not completely get rid of the anger problem but it certainly helps control it. For me anyway. I cannot wait get more into it by joining a gym or something.
Permalink Reply by Jānis on December 26, 2010 at 10:57am
''I can't say that the workouts left me feeling better'' - Why not deal with the source then? This really just seems like escape from reality. Also sports are really great thing and you should do them but when mix it together with anger it will get you nowhere and in the end you might hurt yourself by overdoing stuff.
Permalink Reply by Cory Brandon McRae on December 28, 2010 at 7:21am

Ha ha, unfortunately some things simply can't be resolved, this wasn't my case, but I'll use it as a metaphor:

 

A child who is being abused by a parent, and can't risk sacrificing the support to get away from said parent.

 

I think overexerting myself with said workout though was a great way to dissipate most of the anger. I would still leave the gym frustrated, but not livid as I entered it. The exhaustion was the best way to stop me from thinking, I found!

Permalink Reply by Cory Brandon McRae on December 28, 2010 at 7:22am
If you're using it as an excuse, I don't think that's great, though, it could lead to later problems as you describe!
Permalink Reply by Manjius3.2 on December 27, 2010 at 1:32am
Isn't this what everybody does? I mean the other option is hiding the anger until you stick a pen into your boss' eye.
Permalink Reply by Dean O'Brien on December 27, 2010 at 7:37am
I think anger is a pretty primitive emotion but I can agree that it will be around for a long time. I think this is an insightful blog, when we channel our anger we are in a sense controlling it, if we can learn to control it we can definitely  become a lot more stable and  over time it would probably be benificial for your mental health. At first though it can be dangerously hard, just make sure you don't bottle up anger you think you've dealt with by working out really intensely,  or sprinting a mile. Thoroughly go through the emotion and listen to everything it's telling you. Usually our emotions are the best things for telling us what we truthfully "believe" and I'm sure you know the dangers of bottling it up so really focus on all the bodily sensations and thoughts that an emotion brings (as tough as that is sometimes) and normally you'll make a healthy decision.
Permalink Reply by Cory Brandon McRae on December 28, 2010 at 7:34am

I think my next question is thus: If one can completely control their anger, and eliminate it from their life, should they do so?

Or should they forgo that option and use it for something instead? Like said workout option, or something creative?

Permalink Reply by Dean O'Brien on December 28, 2010 at 9:17am

That is a great thought inspiring question, personally I would say not to eliminate it, because our greatest sense of who we are comes from our emotion, an emotionless person would feel really lost and confused in this world. There's also the whole ying and yang argument, where there can be no joy without anger etc.

The main thing though is that it keeps us in line with reality. Without emotion we probably wouldn't recognize loss, or when it was time to stick up for ourselves, when it was time to fight, or time to celebrate. And as primitive as anger may be it's a truth teller of how we think and what bugs us and it tells us to deal with that situation. We can't just ignore or deny emotion, because if we do we deny our truest self. So when anger pops up deal with the source in a logical manner, and that's about as far as your emotional control should go. Don't deny any emotion or try and influence it with thought, just deal with it in a controlled logical way, resolve it and move on.

 

That for me is the ideal, and I'm a fucking long shot off of that, emotions are tough so just keep venting and channeling it into something productive and I think it's safe to say you're on the right track

 

Permalink Reply by Michael Rios on January 1, 2011 at 3:09am

Guns have had bad connotaions made that compare to anger. Anger is a very good indicator, it tells me woah! I don't like that. Anger for me has taught me a lot about myself. I agree with you Cory, I think anger can be utilized in many different ways. Exercise is a great way to use the motivation that comes with anger,I for one have had great workouts because I needed to unleash some heat. I use my anger to rethink my thoughts, because I used to act upon them without thinking. Now I choose to analyze my thoughts more of why I'm angry, and is it reasonable? Two things happen to me, I either think it's kinda funny that I got mad so easily or I am genuinely angered. Anger management is a great thing, to be able to control yourself, to know how to utilize your emotions to benefit yourself. You have to unleash sometimes, so why not do it to get that bar up one more time =P

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