Anger, a personal essay

Let’s talk about anger today. Not because any of us are particularly angry. I’m frequently angry, about any number of things both personal and universal. But I’m no more angry today than I ever am.

But it’s best to talk about anger when you’re not angry. Most people don’t think clearly when we’re angry. We do stupid shit when we’re angry. We yell at people we love. We drive too fast, drink too much, lose our temper. We make monsters of ourselves.

That’s the assumption, at least. We assume that anger boils over and scalds. We assume it ruins lives and that it is poisonous.

I don’t think that’s right. I think anger is an emotion, a state that we cannot judge because we don’t have any control over it. The pain of anger comes only if we react to it poorly.

Anger is good.

At least, honest anger is good. It shows us points of pain. Think of what makes you angry. Do you feel anger when you hear of people persecuted against? What about childhood hunger or abandoned animals? That’s good if you feel anger at that. How could you call yourself human if you didn’t?

Honest anger is a flag you plant to show you what you are not comfortable with. And this is all personal. I am angry about any manner of situations that might seem petty or small, but they cause me anger and so I must pay attention. Even if someone else might consider it a minor inconvenience, or even perfectly alright, my emotion is different. My emotion is valid. And so is yours.

That is not to say that anger is permission to do harm. No emotion gives permission for that. But it does give you permission to set boundaries.

No, I do not want to go there.

No, I will not do that for you.

No, I will not be that.

This is what anger tells us when we should say no.

But we must take care because while anger is honest, other emotions aren’t. Fear, like the coward it is, will wear anger’s face. So will exhaustion. These are emotions that we associate with weakness, and so we shun them if we can. We say it’s anger, because anger, for all we claim to hate it, is powerful.

This is crucial to recognize in ourselves. When you have time today, make a list of the things that spark anger in yourself. Think as big or as small as you want. People who don’t use their turn signal all the way to racists bearing tiki torches. Get it all down. Do you see a pattern?

Now that you understand what sparks anger in you, consider what sparks anger in your main character. Are they many of the same things or are they wildly different? Free write for ten minutes about how you both react to that anger. If you want, post your response below.

Station 86 is shocked when a Khloe assassin begins killing members of the all powerful council. Officer Sennett Montgomery and Councilman Godfrey Anders swear to find the assassin after Godfrey’s wife is falsely accused. But the killer, and the council itself, are not what they seem. Neither, as it turns out, is Sennett’s daughter.

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