The Politics of Anger

"Once upon a time, Americans admired models of self-control, people such as George Washington and Jackie Robinson, who mastered their anger rather than relishing being mastered by it. America's fictional heroes could be angry, but theirs was a reluctant anger -- Alan Ladd as the gunfighter in "Shane," Gary Cooper as the marshal in "High Noon." Today, however, proclaimed anger -- the more vituperative the better -- is regarded as a sign of good character and emotional vitality."

Good article by George Will. What is happening to us? I will be the first to admit that I let my anger get the best of me when an arguement doesnt go my way. I see alot of anger here on this board when folks resort to ad hominem attacks and attempts to rile a political adversary. I especially see it on the road as I drive 2 hours everyday to get to work. In this article Will talks about how

......" anger is more pervasive than merely political grievances would explain. Today's anger is a coping device for everyday life. It also is the defining attribute of an increasingly common personality type -- the person who "unless he is angry, feels he is nothing at all."

I would venture to say that most of us wouldnt talk to each other the way we do if we were face to face. It seems the anonymity of hiding in cyberspace gives us the ability to "hit and run" and dish out our anger without ever having to face the person it is directed at. We have split personalites. One in person and one behind the keyboard and we really dont know each other.

http://townhall.com/columnists/colu...s_of_anger&ns=GeorgeWill&dt=03/25/2007&page=1