What good comes from anger, hate and negativity? I’ve asked similar things before with little success in getting people to realize that the answer is most often “hardly anything”. After a trip through the negativity laden internet, I figured I would give the subject another whack.

First of all I feel it necessary to point out that I am human and I experience negative emotions just like you. I am not a “happy shining person” as some people might begin to believe from reading some of the things I write. I write what I do out of a genuine concern for the world as a whole. I have hated things that I later have come to regret. I have wrestled with rage control issues for many years, so trust me if I say that I understand anger better than most people. I’ve had my share of negative experiences and feelings in this life, and I have learned from them. Every bad thing that has happened to me taught me something.

I will never state that anger is an invalid emotion. I will say that it is a misunderstood emotion and often a knee-jerk reflex. Most people become angry out of fear. They are afraid to actually experience other valid emotions, and so they become angry at whatever triggered the bad feelings. Are you following me? Suppose person A says something that reminds person B of a bad experience in their past. Person B becomes angry rather than face the fact that what they were actually reminded of was something they regret. Don’t confuse anger with other emotions. Learn to recognize and feel guilt, shame, and yes, even fear.

Hatred is not much more than sustained anger at something you feel powerless to change or accept. Hatred really doesn’t solve anything. Hate breeds more hate, nothing else. Find a different solution, change your perspective, or learn to accept things.

So you’re still reading I see. Good, maybe there is some hope for you after all. Did you realize that most bad feelings and negative emotions all stem from fear? Now, I know that many of you at this point will feel the need to tell me that fear is a necessary element of our psychological makeup that we have from millennia of evolution. You’re right, fear is part of what we are and is sometimes necessary. Fear is a good thing in some situations, combat for example. In combat, fear helps you focus sharper and move faster. Stress and fear keep adrenaline pumping and keep you alive. Now, how many of you are IN combat? Did you know that adrenaline is bad for your body over a long term? Adrenaline is like a turbo boost, only intended for short bursts. Getting back to the point, you need to banish your fear of feeling your other (just as valid) emotions. They hurt, but that is no reason to fear them or become angry. Be fearless of your own mind and feelings.

At this point, I think you should be starting to understand anger and fear a little better. Maybe you even feel the urge to fix things. Be fearless, not angry. The world changes when we MAKE it change.

dracoselene

I'm an artist, writer, ordained interfaith minister, veteran, spiritualist, androgyne, and piles of other labels that never seem to fit. I'm following my passion and attempting to make myself and the world a better place. I think that through compassion and understanding we can all become one unified race of human beings, and life is better when you remember to play.