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I don't even want to know on what planet mob lynchings and indignation at the brutalization of a defenseless individual are the same thing, just "anger" -- but

I don't even want to know on what planet mob lynchings and indignation at the brutalization of a defenseless individual are the same thing, just "anger" -- but I suggest it be nuked from orbit, because one might just as well argue it's sloppy thinking and the resulting stupidity that causes this crap. And by crap I don't mean a group enacting punishment on an individual[1], but the crooked ways in which they arrive at their judgement... because that a mob is angry might be okay, great even; depending on what they're angry at, and how they act on that anger. "The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it." -- Albert Einstein "Anger is a gift." -- Rage Against The Machine [1] notice how even we have that, and that nobody is angry in the process does not help someone who, say, has been framed and is sitting in prison for 20 years. Even if all inmates were excellent to each other all the time, even if the prison food was delicious and varied and healthy, it would still suck, no? How does anger even enter into any of it?

Cushman 13y ago
> I don't even want to know on what planet mob lynchings and indignation at the brutalization of a defenseless individual are the same thing, just "anger" It is the planet Earth, your home, and it is not as simple as you wish it were. Men who do and wish violence upon others -- and women, but mostly men -- claim to for various reasons: money, power, fun. But it's blatantly obvious that we live in a universe where escalation to violence is almost never the best way to attain your desires. But us mammals, we grew up in a much more dangerous world. We grew a brain function to overrule our own better judgment, to make us look tough when we feel our weakest, to make us fight when we would retreat. Anger is the feeling of wanting to do violence and not knowing why, because there was no time to ask questions. But we have time now. Something unconscionable has happened, and we should ask questions like "How do we fix the damage? Why did this happen? What could we have done?" But anger seizes the thoughts of men -- and women, but mostly men -- and transforms this into: "Who should suffer for this?" Of course, no one in this thread is going to raise their hand because of this (nor, I imagine, does anyone here have anything more productive to do). But I'm not asking anyone here to change their behavior; just to think on it.

Cushman 13y ago

> I don't even want to know on what planet mob lynchings and indignation at the brutalization of a defenseless individual are the same thing, just "anger" It is the planet Earth, your home, and it is not as simple as you wish it were. Men who do and wish violence upon others -- and women, but mostly men -- claim to for various reasons: money, power, fun. But it's blatantly obvious that we live in a universe where escalation to violence is almost never the best way to attain your desires. But us mammals, we grew up in a much more dangerous world. We grew a brain function to overrule our own better judgment, to make us look tough when we feel our weakest, to make us fight when we would retreat. Anger is the feeling of wanting to do violence and not knowing why, because there was no time to ask questions. But we have time now. Something unconscionable has happened, and we should ask questions like "How do we fix the damage? Why did this happen? What could we have done?" But anger seizes the thoughts of men -- and women, but mostly men -- and transforms this into: "Who should suffer for this?" Of course, no one in this thread is going to raise their hand because of this (nor, I imagine, does anyone here have anything more productive to do). But I'm not asking anyone here to change their behavior; just to think on it.