Why do we get so mad at each other?
I know this is sort of a sappy subject, but heck, let’s look at it anyway. This past week I’ve gotten pretty angry. Furious to be precise. And wouldn’t you know, as I went about my business seething on the inside, I noticed others were pretty angry too.
In a gas station in Senatobia, I stood in line and witnessed two employees at the facility get very worked up and almost start throwing punches at each other. Other employees stepped in and calmed them down before it came to blows. But witnessing their anger made me pause in mine.
Why do we do it to ourselves?
Anger and resentment and heartaches are choices. We choose to indulge in those feelings for whatever reason, and in turn, let those feelings take a precedence in our day.
Now, I’ll tell you. Sometimes…just sometimes, it feels good to get mad. Now, I may not like the person looking back at me in the mirror when I’m angry, but I’d like to picture myself as being a fierce, larger-than-life, character from a movie when I’m angry. Hulk better watch himself.
But.
That’s not the case at all. None of us are impressive when we’re angry. We don’t think clearly. We don’t make sound decisions. We make mistakes. People don’t like us when we’re angry.
And yet, we get mad anyway.
Take a look at human history. We aren’t a peaceful species. Whether you want to look at evolution or the Biblical account of history, there is an immense amount of anger, rage, and war centering around our existence.
We get angry and allow it to grow to hate and BAM!
I mean, even something as simple as college rivalries. In Alabama, us folks from Tuscaloosa can’t stand that cow college down south. War Eagle? Really? But you’re the Tigers? Yup makes total sense. And vice versa. Roll Tide? But an elephant is your mascot? Again…totally logical.
Yet, we indulge these rivalries to the point that when the pigskin meets the turf, it’s an all-out war of emotions and we get mad, super mad, when the opposing team wins the battle.
But, why?
Apparently, it’s just in our nature. We can’t stand injustice. We ask why should we be overlooked? Abused? Not given our due?
We all process anger in different ways. Some of us explode. Some of us turn ice cold and seethe. Some of us hold on to it longer than others. Some of us never forget. But in the end, none of us are better for it. So why do we do it? Why do we take offense and allow ourselves to feel anger when, at the end of the day, we’d just be happier to let things go? To be happy. To relish in the joy.
I read a quote once that has stayed with me for a while and when I’m happiest I often find myself pondering it.
“Joy is peace dancing, and peace is joy at rest.”
We find so many wonderful quotes on the beauty of happiness. But what do we find on anger?
Nothing good. Nothing hopeful. Nothing useful or beneficial.
We find ugliness, riots, bitterness and fights.
So, while it may be human nature to get mad, I’d like to think it’s also human nature to overcome it. To simply let it go. To rise above.
Every one of us is capable of going out into our worlds, our communities and giving back in a positive way, of creating happiness and beautiful things.
The only thing standing in our way is a mindset— ours.
