Culture of Anger

Posted Oct 30, 04:09 PM by Kay Camenisch

We recently heard the expression “Culture of Anger.” Robert thought it was a book title, but we can’t locate the book. Without knowing the source, I can only guess at what the original person was alluding to. However, I’ve heard enough on the news about destruction caused by anger, and enough personal stories of pain and regret because of anger that it’s not hard to imagine what may have led to the phrase.

In the same vein, a few weeks ago I was told that in prisons and in many dysfunctional families, the only acceptable emotion is anger. Any other emotion makes the person too vulnerable in the environment. I’ve thought a lot about that since then and I believe it’s true.

Bear (Richard) Morgan described it better. Bear became filled with an insane hatred and rage as a young boy and was part of horrible riots, killings and crime in and out of prison. He was big and he was tough. He was known as Mad Dog Morgan before he came to the Lord in Walla Walla prison.

After becoming a Christian, but while still behind bars, Bear wrote, “Understand that if I feel (seem) hostile and defensive, it is because every facet of my gray world is a threat to the soft, mellow, secret things I keep inside me. I cannot trot out gentleness, because in my world nothing is gentle. I cannot show kindness, because kindness is a weakness in my world, and to be weak is to invite more hurt. I dare not exhibit love, because in my world, the bars and mocking locked doors would rip it to bloody shreds. I cannot bring forth and demonstrate my loneliness or hungers because they have become a bone-deep ache that can’t be reached or soothed. . . .”
(From: “Bear and Dove” by Dove Morgan-Osborne).

When I look at the world around me, it sometimes scares me. I believe there are a lot of “Bears” that could say the same thing Bear Morgan said. They don’t dare show the soft, mellow, secret things hidden inside. Those people are not just filling our prisons, they’re walking our streets, working beside us, and making the headlines. Some might be eating at our tables.

Anger is increasing for several reasons. Children are being given everything they want and not being taught that the world doesn’t center around them. When limits are set for them, they get angry and explode, killing family, teachers, classmates, and co-workers.

Electronic transmission has made pornography and sexual perversions abound—and more and more children get caught in the net. Those children often seethe with rage, volcanoes waiting to erupt.

When angry people get married and have children, they create an environment where anger is the only acceptable emotion, and thus the cycle continues. The kids have little opportunity to learn anything else.

I’ve been thinking about this for several weeks. Tonight I was prompted to write when a Fox News headline read, “Son’s Anger Leads to Dad’s Death.” It happened in Georgia. I don’t know the background, but the story said the sons were angry because of their father’s alcohol and drug abuse. They may have had good cause to be angry, but I wonder if anger was also the only acceptable emotion in that household. If anger is the only emotion that is acceptable, what are your options?

This is a pretty gloomy post, but how can we ignore it? What can we do? Where do we start to change things?

I don’t have answers for the world. I’m grateful we have a sovereign God, a God with a plan, a God that is righteous and just, a God that is bigger than any problem we have. I’m also grateful Jesus has already won the victory, and that the outcome is not dependent on me.

I am mulling further thoughts that move toward an answer, but this is long enough for one night. I’ll add more later, but I’m also interested in your input. What can we do? Where do we start to change things?