I read an article on the internet a few days ago. The author suggested that when we are angry, it is the result of some other unresolved emotion that manifests itself as anger.
I have been thinking about this ever since and I am beginning to agree. For example, I usually find myself getting angry when people blatantly jump traffic lights in our city. If I were to consider this rationally, I am caused no personal loss in any way when the motorcycle ahead of me takes off through a red light. It does not cost me any extra time, nor inconvenience. Why then do I still get angry?
I have concluded that for me, the underlying emotion is helplessness. Helplessness at not being able to do anything about something that is clearly wrong.
At the risk of repeating something I have already said in an earlier post, helplessness combined with denial leads to stress. Stress leads to anger. And to quote Yoda, anger leads to hate, and hate leads to suffering.
Helplessness is my magma. What's yours?
1 comment:
I think "acceptance" of the wrong happening makes us even more guilty. We are helpless with this guilt too. Helplessness further piles up with guilt. But we could rather appreciate ourselves that we are understanding something wrong is happening as against few who don't even realize it.
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