MEN MAKING UP IN WRATH WHAT THEY WANT IN REASON
Wrath and revenge daydreaming in today’s times. A closer look.
MEN MAKING UP IN WRATH WHAT THEY WANT IN REASON
Maybe we might cringe at the thought of Trump proclaiming martyrdom,
Each of the rational, educated listeners can all anticipate the show,
Nothing will silence this guy from his whining nonstop; he’s well known.
Making a loud-mouthed ass of himself is his primary talent after all,
And we’ve heard many thousands of dumb things from his mouth already,
Keeping his tough guy persona entact for the cameras he will always do,
Indeed most of us tired of it all many years ago; yet we must suffer still,
Normal in any way he is not, and it’s never, ever been in a good way,
Going, dipping too deep in dementia is a possible “trump” card to hope for.
Understand that a cat scan of his brain now would have to show damage,
Parroting his “poor me” routine is about all he can come up with now.
Indeed one has to conclude that many of his supporters are not too bright,
Now they may perform mental gymnastics to stay excusing of this guy.
With each day that passes he may fall off the cognizant cliff at any time,
Realize that many a specialist is watching for the self-destruct to happen,
And all we know is that his abnormality will only intensify the danger,
Trump is the billionaire’s lunch ticket to fascistic five-course meal,
How they are betting he’ll stay in one piece long enough to be voted in.
With this guy there is a wounded child inside; but it’s hard to empathize,
How he has conned so very many - it’s only astounding to consider,
And the experts have all seen this before; but we are feeling in the dark,
Trump is going downhill fast right now; most of us know this truth.
Tightly wound spring is what this guy is now; I expect some surprises,
Happenstance could be about anything going forward we must realize,
Eventually he will devolve dramatically we hear, it could be sooner,
Yes - I am very concerned about his increasing irrationality personally.
Wrath is internalized in this dudes brain, what’s left of it that is,
And he could do quick damage to the country; a toddler with an AR-15,
Now one knows his handlers are working their tails off in the scenario,
Terrible twos squared with this uncontrollable toddler most likely.
Indeed he is a very nasty child who is getting more desperate by the day,
Now, no one in the mainstream media will talk truthfully about his health.
Realize that they can’t admit a Republican is mentally ill to all of us,
Each little hint they might allude to is not enough folks; wise up fast,
And we must all play along in this kabuki dance hoping the worst won’t,
So only praying for this all to end without major tragedy happening,
Only reality is we have a malignant narcissist with a destructing brain,
No one in mainstream media will level with us about our situation.
“Men often make up in wrath what they want in reason.”
— W. R. Alger.
William Rounseville Alger (December 28, 1822 – February 7, 1905) was an American Unitarian minister, author, poet, hymnist, editor, and abolitionist. He also served as Chaplain of the Massachusetts House of Representatives. In 1857, he gave the annual Boston Fourth of July celebration day speech, in which he addressed the issue of slavery. His remarks were controversial and the city refused the usual publication of the speech. However, seven years later, the city government unanimously reversed their decision, publishing the speech and publicly thanking him for it.
“Wrath is a desire to be revenged, seeking a time or opportunity for the same.”
— Lactantius.
Lucius Caecilius Firmianus signo Lactantius (c. 250 – c. 325) was an early Christian author who became an advisor to Roman emperor Constantine I, guiding his Christian religious policy in its initial stages of emergence, and a tutor to his son Crispus. His most important work is the Institutiones Divinae ("The Divine Institutes"), an apologetic treatise intended to establish the reasonableness and truth of Christianity to pagan critics. He is best known for his apologetic works, widely read during the Renaissance by humanists, who called Lactantius the "Christian Cicero". Also often attributed to Lactantius is the poem The Phoenix, which is based on the myth of the phoenix from Egypt and Arabia. Though the poem is not clearly Christian in its motifs, modern scholars have found some literary evidence in the text to suggest the author had a Christian interpretation of the eastern myth as a symbol of resurrection.
“Wrath proceedeth from the feebleness of courage, and lack of discretion.”
— Clisthenes.
Cleisthenes or Clisthenes (c. 570 – c. 508 BC), was an ancient Athenian lawgiver credited with reforming the constitution of ancient Athens and setting it on a democratic footing in 508 BC. For these accomplishments, historians refer to him as "the father of Athenian democracy". He was a member of the aristocratic Alcmaeonid clan. He was the younger son of Megacles and Agariste making him the maternal grandson of the tyrant Cleisthenes of Sicyon. He was also credited with increasing the power of the Athenian citizens' assembly and for reducing the power of the nobility over Athenian politics. Through Cleisthenes' reforms, the people of Athens endowed their city with isonomic institutions—equal rights for all citizens (though only free men were citizens) —- and established ostracism as a punishment.
“Wrath should be overcome, not by wrath, but by wisdom.”
— Sir W. Gascoigne.
Sir William Gascoigne (c. 1350 – 17 December 1419) was Chief Justice of England during the reign of King Henry IV. It is said that Gascoigne had directed the punishment of one of the prince's riotous companions, and the prince, who was present and enraged at the sentence, struck or grossly insulted the judge. Gascoigne immediately committed him to prison, and gave the prince a dressing-down that caused him to acknowledge the justice of the sentence. The King is said to have approved of the act, but it appears that Gascoigne was removed from his post or resigned soon after the accession of Henry V.
“In time of calamity search out the causes of God's wrath.”
— W. Smith.
SMITH, WALTER, born near Airth, 1650; a Scottish martyr; executed at Edinburgh, July 27, 1682. Walter Smith was the clerk of the Covenanters’ council of war at Bothwell. He played a curcial role in supporting Donald Cargill from late 1680 and was later captured and executed with him in 1681.
“He who curbs his wrath, his sins shall be forgiven him.”
— Talmud.
The Talmud (romanized: Talmūḏ, lit. 'teaching') is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law (halakha) and Jewish theology. Until the advent of modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the centerpiece of Jewish cultural life and was foundational to "all Jewish thought and aspirations", serving also as "the guide for the daily life" of Jews. The term Talmud normally refers to the collection of writings named specifically the Babylonian Talmud (Talmud Bavli), compiled in the 5th century by Rav Ashi and Ravina II. There is also an earlier collection known as the Jerusalem Talmud (Talmud Yerushalmi). It may also traditionally be called Shas (ש״ס), a Hebrew abbreviation of shisha sedarim, or the "six orders" of the Mishnah.
“Grief never leaves a wrathful man without a weapon.”
— A. Dudith.
Andreas Dudith (Croatian: Andrija Dudić Orehovički), also András Dudith de Horahovicza (February 5, 1533 in Buda - February 22, 1589 in Wrocław), was a Hungarian nobleman of Croatian and Italian origin, bishop, humanist and diplomat in the Kingdom of Hungary. The theories of Blandrata, Sozzini and Ferenc Dávid had a great influence on him. Nevertheless he always remained an Erasmian humanist, who condemned religious intolerance whether from Protestants or Catholics. Dudith died in 1589 in Wrocław and was buried in the Saint-Elizabeth Lutheran Church.
“God giveth his wrath by weight, and mercy without measure.”
— Erasmus.
Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus (English: Erasmus of Rotterdam or Erasmus; 28 October c.1466 – 12 July 1536) was a Dutch Christian humanist, Catholic theologian, educationalist, satirist, and philosopher. Through his vast number of translations, books, essays, prayers and letters, he is considered one of the most influential thinkers of the Northern Renaissance and one of the major figures of Dutch and Western culture. He remained a member of the Catholic Church all his life, remaining committed to reforming the Church from within. He promoted the traditional doctrine of synergism, which some prominent Reformers such as Martin Luther and John Calvin rejected in favor of the doctrine of monergism. His middle-road approach disappointed, and even angered, partisans in both camps.
“Whilst thou art yet in thy senses, let the wrath of another be a lesson to thyself.”
— R. Dodsley.
Robert Dodsley (13 February 1703 – 23 September 1764) was an English bookseller, publisher, poet, playwright, and miscellaneous writer. He produced and published more successful works towards the end of his life. The Select Fables of Esop (1761), which remained in print in various editions for many decades, for which he and some of his friends wrote additional fables. The Works of William Shenstone (3 vols., 1764–1769) was brought out as a memorial after Shenstone's sudden death, and was very selectively edited so as to show that writer at his best.
“He that lets the sun go down upon his wrath, and goes angry to bed, is like to have the devil for his bedfellow.”
— V. Borghini.
Vincenzo Borghini (29 October 1515 – 15 August 1580) was an Italian monk, artist, philologist, and art collector of Florence, Italy. Borghini’s work remains largely unpublished, mainly because of his unsystematic method of jotting down sporadic notes, and the difficulty of some of his handwriting. His best known work, the Discorsi di M. Vincenzo Borghini, was published posthumously in 2 volumes in 1584 and 1585, and reissued in 1755 with annotations. In these dissertations he treats of the origin of Florence, and of several interesting particulars of its history, of its families, of its coins, etc. Borghini's fame reached a new height in the 19th century, and selections from his manuscripts were published sporadically, notably La Ruscelleide (Città di Castello, Lapi, 1898), a bitter satire against Girolamo Ruscelli, and the brief autobiographical notes Ricordi intorno alla sua vita (Florence, Libreria Editrice Fiorentina, 1909).
Now reading from a practicing psychologist on wrath and revenge was needed by me after concentrating on this for a few hours. I think this article from last November has some very good points to consider in these times of extreme resentments which inhabit many Americans today who have time to pay attention to our outside environment. Most likely those most in need of reading this would never be caught dead reading such. But it’s available to all to consider in these questionable times we live in.
Seeking Revenge: Its Causes, Impact, and Challenge
Seeking revenge may be an initial reaction, but it only creates further pain.
Posted November 25, 2023
Bernard Golden, Ph.D.*
Overcoming Destructive Anger
***
Bernard Golden*, PhD, the founder of Anger Management Education, has been a practicing psychologist for almost forty years. He is the author of Healthy Anger: How to Help Children and Teens Manage Their Anger and Unlock Your Creative Genius.
Published Works
Overcoming Destructive Anger
***
Seeking revenge may lead to a cycle of seeking revenge.
Revengeful thoughts and behavior are a temporary distraction from underlying suffering.
There are many factors that challenge letting go of revenge, including certain cultural influences.
Moving past revenge frees up energy to direct attention to personal goals and aspirations.
“Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.” ~ Confucius
Carla was referred to my anger-management class after being involved in a physical altercation with Regina, a driver who rear-ended her car during rush hour traffic. Although not injured, Carla was startled and immediately jumped out of the car to see the damage to her car. Regina simultaneously left her car. Carla’s car experienced major damage to the bumper as well as a huge dent to the rear of the trunk.
As their tempers soared, the two women yelled at each other and. Regina slapped Carla, who in turn, became more infuriated. Without restraint, Carla punched Regina to the ground and then kicked her in the stomach and head. Carla was subsequently arrested for aggravated assault. “I wasn’t going to let her get away with what she did to me, especially in front of that crowd!”
The cycle of revenge
Revenge is personal, powerfully driven by emotion. The motivation for revenge might be initially fueled by anger, but it is ultimately powered by anticipated satisfaction or enjoyment. A powerful driving force for revenge is the belief that acting out the desire for revenge will provide an emotional release, that it will help us feel better.
However, studies have found that while there may be initial satisfaction, revenge actually perpetuates the pain of the original offense (Price, 2009). Additionally, it often creates a cycle of retaliation, with the victim citing the most recent offense as yet another justification for further revenge. In effect, revengeful feelings and behaviors only train the brain to become more vulnerable to seek revenge.
This cycle was already a part of Carla’s past, influencing her quickness to be emotionally overwhelmed and to seek revenge. Prior to her recent altercation, she had endured many wounds about which she carried much resentment and hostility. Not having sufficiently mourned and grieved these wounds, Carla was left more vulnerable to impulsively react rather than respond to a grievance. In effect, the encounter with Regina was a “last straw” triggering event that catapulted her into her emotionally driven reaction, lacking the restraint of rational judgment.
Carla’s outrage fueled her initial behavior, but it was in fact motivated by a need to feel powerful vs powerless, adequate vs inadequate, and secure vs vulnerable. The fact that a small crowd had assembled further influenced Carla’s need to inflate her ego, boosting her self-perception in the eyes of the onlookers.
The motivation for revenge
Seeking revenge is often an initial human response to wounds incurred at the hands of others. When focusing on revenge, we may be driven by a sense of rectifying whatever has caused pain.
However, focusing on revenge is a distraction from fully experiencing the pain resulting from the offense. Ruminating about or acting on revenge involves a temporary orientation of our attention outward that competes with and overshadows our turning inward. Yet, it is only when we turn inward that we encounter the intense suffering regarding what has happened.
The comparative suffering hypothesis holds that victims of an offense receive satisfaction when they experience the offender as suffering. The understanding hypothesis states that revenge can only be satisfactory when the offender understands it as a response to his behavior. One study found that the understanding hypothesis was more often the driving force regarding victim satisfaction (Gollwitzer, Meder, Schmitt, 2010). Some observe that the primary satisfaction of revenge occurs when the offender shows an expression of pain (Eder, Mitschke, Gollwitzer, 2020).
Carla could have focused her attention on seeking punishment rather than revenge. While revenge might be viewed as the same as punishment, punishment is often an objective consequence for a behavior, sometimes assigned by a third party. For example, insurance companies might assess the collision and assign responsibility to one of the drivers. The courts might be involved in order to determine responsibility for the accident as well as to determine consequences for any physical altercation.
Holding onto thoughts of revenge is often a derivative of holding onto anger. I’ve found this to be true with almost all of my clients who experience trait anger—an ongoing disposition toward anger and hostility. Additionally, some victims of a transgression are more likely to be vengeful when they are highly anxious or depressed (Barcaccia, Salvati, Pallini, et. al., 2022).
Challenges to letting go of revenge
There are certainly contrasting opinions about the justification for revenge. We could follow phrases such as “an eye for an eye”. We could cite the many historical examples of individuals acting out their revenge, even when it resulted in greater suffering for them in the long term. This is another aspect of attention to revenge: It can blind us to the long-term impact on ourselves. In effect, taking revenge may not ultimately be in our best interest overall.
The problem is that revenge provides only a short-lived satisfaction. It does not really make up for the suffering we may experience and in fact only prolongs the enduring suffering of the original offense.
We live in a culture in which many individuals are currently focused on anger and revenge, a culture that emphasizes action rather than reflection, being impulsive rather than thoughtful, and quick to globally blame others for all of their suffering. This is further endorsed by political movements that thrive on anger and revenge. In fact, vengeful tendencies have been linked with two social attitudes: right-wing authoritarianism and social dominance and the motivational values that underlie these attitudes (McKee and Feather, 2008). As McKee states, individuals with such attitudes "tend to be less forgiving, less benevolent, and less focused on universal-connectedness-type values."
Moving beyond revenge
Reducing a tendency for revenge may be extremely challenging. It entails consciously mourning and grieving our pain with the intention that we can move on in our lives even though we’ve experienced a wound.
Some of my clients have stated that they often ask themselves what a religious or spiritual leader would identify as a guideline for their thoughts and behavior. Others think of loved ones and how being fueled by thoughts and behaviors regarding revenge make them less able to be present with them. Some strive to become their best selves. Those who practice self-compassion may evoke their wisdom to help them decide how best to manage a given situation.
Letting go of the desire for revenge requires strengthening our rational brain to override our emotional brain, an ability to show restraint even while we may wish for revenge. It calls for strengthening our capacity for forgiveness—of ourselves and others. This requires ongoing self-monitoring and commitment to change and, by doing so, developing a new default reaction to experiencing wounds. Additionally, channeling our attention toward the satisfaction of our personal core goals and aspirations frees us from bearing the weight of revenge. It helps us to move on in our lives—in spite of our wounds.
Bernard Golden, PhD, the founder of Anger Management Education in Chicago, has been a practicing psychologist for almost forty years. He has clinical experience in a variety of settings, including community mental health centers, inpatient psychiatric hospitals, private practice groups and individual practice. Dr. Golden specializes in working with individuals on anger management issues, utilizing cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness techniques and practices in compassion and self-compassion. Dr. Golden is the author of Overcoming Destructive Anger: Strategies That Work (John Hopkins University Press, 2016), a new release that teaches readers to recognize, sit with, and move beyond the triggers that cause destructive anger. He is also the author of Unlock Your Creative Genius (Prometheus Books, 2007) and Healthy Anger: How to Help Children and Teens Manage their Anger (Oxford University Press; 2002), and the co-author of (with Dr. Jan Fawcett and Nancy Rosenfeld) New Hope For People With Bipolar Disorder (Three Rivers Press/Random House, 2002, 2007 (2nd. Ed.). He has also co-authored The Bipolar Relationship (Adams Media, 2009) with Jon Bloch and Nancy Rosenfeld. Dr. Golden was an Associate Professor at the Illinois School of Professional Psychology in Chicago for twelve years prior to expanding his practice to full-time in 2002.
I found what a “getting even” word search brought up in Truth Social. Trump’s posts came up twice in the recent past most unsurprisingly. Read this objectively, I recommend it. I get an odd sense of questioning in many of these posts. Maybe I’m only being foolishly optimistic. Time will tell perhaps. If some are from foreign bots, I have no idea. Please excuse my ignorance if they might be.
I close with my usual pseudo-sonnet. It might make a real poet cringe, but I managed to get my point across. Or at least I’m reasonably sure I did.
Wrath Inside Our Crazy Car
We know that this Trump is a creature of wrath,
And he’s as crazy as a cave full of bats,
We know no wisdom will come from the red hats,
An assortment of ‘wishers’ for a bloodbath,
We only hope - not for some coming warpath,
We’re so divided - this large pile of rats,
With things so intolerable now - biting gnats,
Lordy, can we just skip to the aftermath?
Hey revenge is only sweet for a minute,
But rational thought doesn’t ever apply,
And we can only foresee all things awry,
We avoid thinking in all terms explicit,
I’m getting to be as insane as they are,
D-day in November in our crazy car.
So that’s about all the damage I can muster for today. Perhaps something of value was expressed to those who trudged through my madness. I’m finding that I love obscure quotes from writers in history. I feel a certain kinship with these folks, regardless of the actual target of their writing at the time. Most writing actually ages quite well I’ve realized.
181st Posting, April 16, 2024.