Yes. Generally, it is a sign of weakness. I think it relates to ignorance. Some folk don't know any better. It is exacerbated by an exaggerated self-worth (ego).Scott wrote: ↑March 23rd, 2008, 10:51 am [The following topic is featured as a leadup to the May philosophy book of the month discussion of Holding Fire.]
Do you think that anger, discompassion and hatred are usually symptoms of weakness? Why or why not?
If you know of any psychological studies into the matter, please post here about them.
Generally speaking, I think that anger, discompassion and hatred are signs of weakness and/or the self-perception of weakness.
Namely, I think people get frustrated by their own weakness, which makes them angry, discompassionate, and hateful and makes them more likely to resort to violence and other primitive and brutish techniques (not as a form of defense but as a means of offensive attack and control). When a person is socially weak, I believe the person will likely compensate by using the brutish techniques associated with anger, discompassion, and hatred.
Additionally, people who believe themselves to be weak will tend to have an inferiority complex, which is notorious for often resulting in excessive aggressiveness as a form of overcompensation, such as in the clichéd case of most schoolyard bullies.
In another example, consider the crazy "school shooters" who go to schools to shoot wildly at their classmates and usually kill themselves. Wouldn't you say that that extreme example of vengeful anger, discompassion, and hatred is a sign of severe weakness and the pathological self-perception of weakness.
In another example, if you back an animal into a corner, making it feel scared and weak, it will lash out violently and erratically, which in humans would be called anger, discompassion, or hatred.
In contrast, wouldn't you say that compassion is generally a sign of strength and clearheadedness? I would. Martin Luther King Jr. is one of the strongest historical figures I can think of, and I believe he is a great example of how genuine strength enables a person to act on their love and to influence society without resorting to the destructive use of offensive violence and judgmental vengeance associated with anger, discompassion and hatred?
What do you think?
On the other hand, as in eastern philosophy or the principles of unity and opposites (antinomy), it is quite normal to use emotions as driving forces to effect one's own Will for alternative action or behavior. Practically speaking, when closed doors happen, one can be depressed, angry, frustrated, et al. But those emotions fuel the fire for an alternative resolution. It seems when the effects are negative (like violence), that it becomes a sign of ignorance or weakness.
It's kind of like saying someone killed my brother, so I'm going to retaliate and kill them. Relative to the human condition, we see this a lot. It takes on many forms, some obvious and some not so obvious, and we see it in all walks of life. Politics is one example. Some politics is not only parent-child, but child-child. This dynamic, and the effects it produces, is a kind of interminable process that seemingly can never be satisfied...
Sad but true. Negative energy can feed on itself. Kind of like cynicism. Self-awareness is key. Which in a way reminds me of Spock in some sense, LOL: