Welcome back philosophers! This week we’ll be approaching a very different topic- focusing on the struggle for balance between indignation and understanding. My favourite quote by virtue of how freakishly relateable it is to my general spectrum of daily emotions was famously coined by philosopher Baruch Spinoza:
“Do not weep, do not wax indignant – understand.”
Fury
How we label this consuming feeling really depends on a variety of factors, from lexicon to stigma and right back to self denial. For me this overwhelming feeling to headbutt people in their throats is the ineffable fury.
Fury: my hot headed friend, my I-shant-not-will-not-take-this-shit friend is a frequenter in my adulting life. And why is that you ask ?
Welp.
Because life is just not fair.
Now I’ve always been told to be softer, particularly by family members and oftern reprimanded and told it’s not befitting for a lady to have a temper. Now hol’ on. I’m by no means defending the right to fly off the handle at every given opportunity but let’s be honest when you’re met with unfairness, bias and disappointment: surely you have a right to be mad ?
** Thanks Solange!
Now you’d be right in saying why waste energy, why even expend energy on such a negative emotion but alas why is fury considered negative in the first place. Truly, gratitude and faith does cancel out a lot of bad stuff but living a life stifled by eternal sunshine, unicorns and rainbows fails to address one big little variable – life.
Are you a lover or a fighter ?
What good comes from denial and self denial at that ? Addressing energy, you might argue it is more constructive to direct that energy to something more positive. Oh I dont know.. painting or travelling or seeing friends ?
Or
Sex and recreational drugs or perhaps a night on a supreme wave ?
Orr
Deny the fury, stuff it down, perpetuate a psychological scar and keep it stepping. *sigh*
Look, energy cannot be created or destroyed. It flows and if it cannot be transformed or released it will remain in a karmic loop bubbling and seething until boom you’re seriously contemplating headbutting your driving instructor in the throat.
Do Not Weep
And when you’re of a particular impassioned disposition many, many, many things can fill you with fury. Couple that with a perceived feeling of helplessness, it’d make you want to curl up and have a good wail – but is that productive? Does fury have to be productive, DOES EVERY BLOODY THING HAVE TO BE PRODUCTIVE ???
**sidenote
I can’t be the only one sick of this I’ll sleep when I die mentality that suggests if it isn’t contributing to a billion dollar empire forget about it!
Release i.e a good cry is productive in itself.
** mind you if you’re crying every time fury arises… m8 ???
However, we all know that fury is a hell of a good motivator (perhaps not the healthiest one) especially if your fury is fleeting and explosive but when you’re faced with a fervent trigger alighting said fury, I say it works pretty well. Yet we have to be mindful, fury as a sole motivator is a bit like trying to run a car on chip fat oil. The burn is often short lived after which you’re left with a poorly embarked attempt that could potentially dampen morale when trying again. On the other hand, wielding fury when coupled with an envisioned output and a sound process can bring about a change that can set your world or even the world ablaze.
Do Not Wax Indignant
Indignation on it’s own, if not diffused or transformed can easily perpetuate stagnancy. The tendency to linger or ruminate can be particularly enticing as a passive form of attempting to solve a problem. In our minds we tell poeple about themselves, envisage a world free of corruption, free of an unusual disparity in the way we raise boys and girls, free from a world of entitlement, free from a system actively seeking the demise of black people. It’s no wonder anyone witnessing an incessant stream of injustice in the media would be reduced to a gentle simmer, as they digest and succumb to clandestine desensitisation.
Now there are a plethora of instances of injustice, another firm favourite- privilege.
***
Let’s take a look at a glaring example of injustice -corruption:
Corruption is essentially systemic misconduct typically involving bribery and is characterized by the presence of benefactors who typically are a minority compared to those left to deal with the crux resulting from the greed and unseemly agendas.
Upon discovering the extent of corruption locally or nationally, one may initially be a little disgruntled. As the effects of corruption are noted more and more in our everyday lives for example in social funding, disability cuts and a general decline in local services we progress from disgruntled to seething outrage. What does one now do with all these components:
- Fury
- A growing problem
- A percieved sense of helplessness
***
Understand
Philosophy is often disregarded as primarily being concerned with ideas, theories and ideals that can’t be practically implemented in society by virtue of it’s tediousness regarding morals and duty. Philosophy is the pursuit of objective truth for the philosopher king, yet in that pursuit of truth the philsopher kings are subject to an extensive education system to acquire understanding.
Fury is a symptom of a much larger problem we’re energetically reacting to. In understanding the root of our aggravation we can go about the process of empathy. It has been said that if we were to experience the same environment, events, predispositions and opportunities we would be fated to the same lives as those we despise or disapprove of. This idea mildly touches on the idea of determinism and plays a large role in empathy and understanding. Empathy is not a means of excusing heinous acts or perpetuating injustice, it simply takes us to the humble seat of understanding. When plagued with incessant worry and anxiety, in situations or constitutions beyond our control whether in our personal lives or on a local or national scale – we must choose to understand and then ACT. Just as market research is necessary in order to identify and succesfully reach your target audience, understanding is an important preliminary action.
All in all, we should endeavour to steer away from the passivity of simply stewing in fury but rather choose understanding and where possible follow that understanding with action.
Which weapon will you wield ?
– the observer
’Ave a gander
For your viewing pleasure:
- A woman’s fury holds a lifetime of wisdom TED Talk Tracee Ellis Ross
- Dolphin What did you say YouTube
For your listening pleasure:
- Keep Ya Head Up Tupac
- Lose My Mind DMX
- Losing Out Black Milk ft. Royce da 5’9”
- Jekyll Hiatus Kiayote
- Mad Solange
- Burn OSHUN
- Open Season Cavalier
- Handy 808INK
- Me Voy Ibeyi ft Mala Rodriguez
- Turn Left Little Dragon
thefulbe 