Anger and Politics

[wmw999 2,447]

Seems like everyone has a reason to be angry, and right now the people pandering for power are playing to that anger. Each group’s hurt is made primary within that group, and sometimes denigrated by other groups, sometimes just ignored. The thing is that these are motivating, and at the moment it seems worst to me on the right. In the 60’s is was definitely worse on the left.

But I have a feeling that part of why it seems that way to me is that I am more on the left. So I have an easier time understanding the anger of the marginalized minorities and women, I was raised with the idea that marginalization like that was wrong.

What if I’d been raised in a more structured society? One where there was recognizable comfort in knowing my place? Especially if, say, I was a majority man, whose place was one of somewhat more respect? Or, maybe, if my nature was more compliant, and I liked knowing that I had the ability to get the ear of the most important alpha male? I have a feeling that the tearing down of that structure, with the perceived loss of relative power, as being a huge loss. And people by nature feel a loss more keenly than they feel an equivalent gain (look up Daniel Kahneman for evidence). And once you feel one loss, it’s so much easier to be reminded of others, because misery loves company.

I have a feeling the only way out of this is through it, and that probably won’t happen in my time.

Wendy P. 

[JerryBaumchen 1,363]

2 hours ago, wmw999 said:

Seems like everyone has a reason to be angry, and right now the people pandering for power are playing to that anger. Each group’s hurt is made primary within that group, and sometimes denigrated by other groups, sometimes just ignored. The thing is that these are motivating, and at the moment it seems worst to me on the right. In the 60’s is was definitely worse on the left.

But I have a feeling that part of why it seems that way to me is that I am more on the left. So I have an easier time understanding the anger of the marginalized minorities and women, I was raised with the idea that marginalization like that was wrong.

What if I’d been raised in a more structured society? One where there was recognizable comfort in knowing my place? Especially if, say, I was a majority man, whose place was one of somewhat more respect? Or, maybe, if my nature was more compliant, and I liked knowing that I had the ability to get the ear of the most important alpha male? I have a feeling that the tearing down of that structure, with the perceived loss of relative power, as being a huge loss. And people by nature feel a loss more keenly than they feel an equivalent gain (look up Daniel Kahneman for evidence). And once you feel one loss, it’s so much easier to be reminded of others, because misery loves company.

I have a feeling the only way out of this is through it, and that probably won’t happen in my time.

Wendy P. 

Hi Wendy,

Hang in there.  I was at the Berlin Wall in the summer of '63.  I knew it would come down one day, I did not think that it would come down in my lifetime.

The glass IS half full.

Jerry Baumchen