I'm angriest when...
Students over the years have told me that my calmness makes them wonder if I ever get angry and, if so, what makes me the angriest.
First, of course I do! See that exclamation mark?
Second, though I’m working on transforming the anger I feel around the following topics, they still occasionally get to me. I didn’t want to be too broad and give one-word responses, so here are five specific and recent examples:
1. When a father whose daughter has been raped blames his daughter for “bringing shame to the family” or for some other absurd reason. This is unfortunately still quite common around the world.
2. Religious hypocrisy of various types, most recently around the Catholic Church’s systemic rape and molestation of boys.
3. The denial of white, male, and other forms of privilege. We still struggle as a country to have complex, nuanced discussions on gender and race. In my mind, this is in large part because the privileged refuse to do the inner work necessary to recognize the depth of their privilege. Do the work! It’s worth it!
4. When I want someone to listen, but they won’t. I especially get angry when my listening isn’t reciprocated. The anger here arises because I view listening as a form of respect and, right or wrong, actively not listening as a sign of disrespect.
5. When I see the planet being irreversibly destroyed by powerful corporations for the sake of short-term financial gain. My anger here runs deep as this touches on what I see as a uniquely grotesque form of selfishness.
First, of course I do! See that exclamation mark?
Second, though I’m working on transforming the anger I feel around the following topics, they still occasionally get to me. I didn’t want to be too broad and give one-word responses, so here are five specific and recent examples:
1. When a father whose daughter has been raped blames his daughter for “bringing shame to the family” or for some other absurd reason. This is unfortunately still quite common around the world.
2. Religious hypocrisy of various types, most recently around the Catholic Church’s systemic rape and molestation of boys.
3. The denial of white, male, and other forms of privilege. We still struggle as a country to have complex, nuanced discussions on gender and race. In my mind, this is in large part because the privileged refuse to do the inner work necessary to recognize the depth of their privilege. Do the work! It’s worth it!
4. When I want someone to listen, but they won’t. I especially get angry when my listening isn’t reciprocated. The anger here arises because I view listening as a form of respect and, right or wrong, actively not listening as a sign of disrespect.
5. When I see the planet being irreversibly destroyed by powerful corporations for the sake of short-term financial gain. My anger here runs deep as this touches on what I see as a uniquely grotesque form of selfishness.
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