Right anger

Loved Ash’s newsletter post and illustration about anger:

Anger is fuel. Anger is useful. Anger is a gift. Not something to avoid. – Ash Lamb

Such beautiful writing. And so lovely to see a young man finding a wholesome way to channel anger. The world needs more of that.

Anger is the most misunderstood of the emotions.

I think what Ash demonstrated is the true purpose of anger in our lives. Not as a negative destructive force that the mainstream paints it to be (though it can be). Worse, we’re told to suppress it, to the point where it explodes in toxicity and violence.

The irony of self-fulfilling prophecies.

What anger truly is, is as a rallying force to push us into action. It’s a warrior, not a terrorist. To nudge us to do all the things we were lazy or scared to do.

It’s a protector, a guardian. It protects us from things that breach our boundaries. It’s there when you speak up for yourself when someone treats you badly, gaslights you. It’s there when you walk away—or fight back—when someone bullies you. It’s there when you ‘bully’ yourself, through self-neglect or procrastination.

I think society and communities used to have healthy channels for that anger, especially for men. Many of those are poorly classified as outdated traditions/customs. Seems like we lost a lot of that in our drive towards personal freedom. Sometimes constraints—even old rules—help than hinder. Now we re-invent these rules for ourselves, making the same mistakes all over again.

It’s a shame.

Healthy anger is a great emotional tool in this times of passivity (or passive aggressiveness).

Right anger.