digg

Join DiggAbout

Donkeys and Elephants and Delegates,oh my!
Check out the most popular Elections 2008 content on Digg.

See the original image at women.timesonline.co.uk

The age of the rage: why are we so angry?

women.timesonline.co.uk — Did you know that one person in 20 has had a fight with a next-door neighbour? That one driver in four admits to committing an act of road rage? ...It's OK to have a different opinion. Opinions are not facts - they are only what you think...Don't take anything personally. Nothing that others do or say is because of you. What others do and say is

Bury
show profanity settings
expand all
  • Stevanoski, on 06/12/2008, -10/+21I wonder if this anger stems from the cost of losing in politics? Particularly if one side owns the media and the other side feels the only reply must be Nuetronic to make up for what little say that side has in the medium everyone watches.
    • BigW, on 06/13/2008, -5/+8Nope, that's just an excuse.....
    • xGORDOx, on 06/13/2008, -6/+2I agree with that concept Stevanoski, that and the fact that we are a bunch of spoiled ***** brats.
    • rpgmaker, on 06/13/2008, -1/+5I'm not angry and this article doesn't reflect my values. I feel very insulted by this article.
      • mrraven200, on 06/13/2008, -0/+7"I feel very insulted by this article." You sound angry to me (opinion),
      • MrColdheart, on 06/14/2008, -0/+2you do sound angry :)))
      • rpgmaker, on 06/14/2008, -0/+1I was being sarcastic, morons. Parodying the Hillary Clinton PA ad...
    • Ratteler, on 06/13/2008, -5/+11Not losing IN politics, but losing REPRESENTATION in politics.
      The political process in the U.S. has been corrupted from a Government by the People, of the People and FOR the People, to an Oligarchy where we have almost no representation.

      The claim of being "spoiled" is the worst kind of sophistry. The Oligarchy claim that we acting like spoiled children is simple an excuse to strip our rights down to do those OF children.

      We are angry because at the point in history when we should be moving to a new world order of the greatest communication and spreading of ideas... we are watching our freedom of speech be erased under the lies of National Security and Copyright.

      WE ARE IN AN UNDECLARED WAR WITH THOSE WHO HAVE INFILTRATED AND CORRUPTED THE VERY SYSTEMS DEDICATED TO PROTECTING US!

      We just refuse to admit it.
      • jackkerouac, on 06/13/2008, -3/+3Wow - you really are a nutbag, aren't you?
      • PeppermintPig, on 06/13/2008, -1/+1All without questioning whether the political process and the democratic system is moral, right, and just in dictating the lives of others. The answer is simple, it cannot be.

        "The claim of being "spoiled" is the worst kind of sophistry. The Oligarchy claim that we acting like spoiled children is simple an excuse to strip our rights down to do those OF children."

        In one sense, who would blame them for doing so and getting away with it as more people do cede their authority to government to manage their lives?
    • EarlOfLade, on 06/13/2008, -1/+10So, there are only TWO sides to every issue?
      I have feeling this anger is especially prominent in two-party countries like USA and UK. When you only have TWO options in any political issue, you tend to polarize and move to the extreme and this follows you into the daily grind.
      In countries with a multitude of political parties, there are many opinions on an issue and polarization is rarely seen and hence it makes for a more balanced view on most things in life, again leading to a less angry society.

    • theenginedriver, on 06/13/2008, -1/+1Nuetronic?
    • willdiggforfood, on 06/13/2008, -6/+6Ah, of course... it's Bush's fault. Everything that goes wrong in the world is, including my ingrown toenail.

      Heaven forbid little liberals take responsibility for the consequences of their own immorality.
      • sodade, on 06/13/2008, -4/+5ROTFL. Say what you like about "liberals," but calling their values "immoral" is a ***** joke. Hey Jebus, why don't you explain to me how homosexuality is less moral than killing innocents in Iraq?
        • mmortal03, on 06/13/2008, -1/+3Just something to consider: http://thesciencenetwork.org/BeyondBelief2/watch/h ...
          Jonathan Haidt's a liberal who has done studies on the differences in the morals of liberals and conservatives. After you watch the video, here's the paper on some of his research (search for it on Google): "When Morality Opposes Justice: Conservatives Have Moral Intuitions that Liberals may not Recognize"
        • sodade, on 06/13/2008, -1/+2Thanks for the links - only gave them a cursory look over, but they pass the immediate smell test of not being some Ben Stien (ish) nonsense. I'll watch the video with my lunch...
        • sodade, on 06/13/2008, -2/+1That video is well worth anyone's time, but I almost spewed pepsi on my monitor at the baby jesus butt-plug. That is beyond awesome! I'll come back when I am done watching/reading and have an opinion.
        • pkonink, on 06/14/2008, -0/+2To paraphrase the speaker, "Without religion it is possible that there would be no society and we would still be living in small roving bands." I always suspected religion was at the root of humanity's sickness.

          It makes perfect sense, you combine religious dogmatism which he called moral-communal capital with the technology of intensive agriculture and you have the past 10,000-some years right in front of you, from the epic of Gilgamesh to the Saturn V rocket.

          The food creates the legions and the religion creates the certainty that everyone everywhere should live just like they do and think just like they think. And the material success of the strategy creates a self-reinforcing feedback loop, the ability to create useful trinkets creates another, ad infinitum.

          And on and on until anyone must seem utterly insane for even thinking to question this way of life. Even though many of us are awash in innumerable existential crises and we are slowly crippling the ecosystem we live within. Even though we live with genocide and believe ourselves fundamentally flawed creatures who require a list of "thou shall nots" to live together.

          I also love that he chastised his community for it's lack of diversity in understanding the alternative/conservative viewpoint. Thanks for the link, Haidt is someone I will be paying more attention to. I just realized I babbled way too long.
        • sodade, on 06/14/2008, -0/+1Interesting theory, but I think he distorts the lines of morality quite a bit. In a way, he is saying that social conservatism is a form of collectivism and that the values of liberalism promote the individual over the group. I agree that religion is an evolutionary adaptation for society. It certainly made some "teams" stronger at points in history. I guess if you think that human evolution is about making a better team to squash the rest, then homogeneity is a good thing. Certainly that was the point of social evolution, but I think the point of liberalism is that it tries to transcend the brute force of social evolution in favor of the individual because it is only with diversity that paradigm-shifting evolutionary leaps are made. I think today religion has become a disorganizing principle that stifles individual evolution and creates its own "morality" around conformity to the "team," which I think is immoral.
    • 1033, on 06/13/2008, -2/+4taxes piss me off.
  • petsheep, on 06/13/2008, -0/+19Some people have a lot of personal worries and they often extend those feelings to their driving and interactions with others, some of those anger management suggestions mentioned at the article can be helpful.
    • kuzotz, on 06/13/2008, -0/+15my sister has this problem when she is on the road. I was riding with her one day when she just would not let this car merge, and ran it off the road, and she enjoyed it because she was pissed at the other driver for no real reason. I don't think it's irrationality. But she is a young college graduate. Despite having work experience she had to jump through hoops to get a job where most of the employees don't even have degrees. That's the reality of today's youth, and generation y. Higher job insecurity, and higher cost of living, and then the stigma of moving back home. I mean you older people talk *****, but ***** it's pretty tough today more than ever. Try going through college, and getting into 80,000 USD of debt. Which it takes up to 6 months to find a job, and then yea you find out you still won't have enough to live on your own so you move back home with your parents. This is the reality. It isn't some failure to launch *****. Imagine busting your ass off, and years of hard work only to realize that isn't highly valued. It's talked about being valued, but really the society does not value your work ethic, or your education level.
    • jnava121, on 06/13/2008, -3/+3some people just get mad that soccer mom in her Tahoe is putting on makeup, talking on the cellphone, and telling her kids to shut up and watch a dvd in the backseat.

      Then you swerve out of the way when she realizes she missed her exit as she merges through 5 lanes of traffic without looking!

      Not just women, lots of metrosexual males do the same thing! haha... and anyone in general who is not paying attention while driving. Just makes me a little hulkish when my car is going to get wrecked or life get harmed so someone can make their hair appointment or something insignificant...
  • UltramegaOK, on 06/13/2008, -19/+7Capitalism: The machine that grinds us all


    http://recollectionbooks.com/bleed/images/labor/ma ...
    • AxeSwinger, on 06/13/2008, -1/+7I think I understand why you're getting dugg down. But, you're right in a sense. I don't think capitalism is to blame, I think predatory capitalism is more likely the cause. When your doing business with a local or small business the power dynamic is much different then when doing business with a large multi-national where power or control is mostly one sided. The bureaucracy of govt, business, church and the idea that all your actions are now recorded, criminal recorded, credit ratings, transcripts will follow you for your entire life unlike any other time in history.

      This puts tremendous pressure on people and they snap because they're tire of feeling like they have such little control of their lives.
    • Ratteler, on 06/13/2008, -2/+9Capitalism requires a free market. I see no freedom in any market of our economy anymore.
      What we are living in is a market of Oligarchic Socialist Dictatorship.
      • UltraMegaFilms, on 06/13/2008, -0/+4Gesundheit.
      • AxeSwinger, on 06/13/2008, -1/+1"Free" markets don't exist. The only time a free market can exist is when two parties of equal resources make a one time unique transaction. "Free" markets are just double speak for corporate interests. In theory free markets work fine but thats not how markets play out when you add the human element. Interested parties are always going to try to gain a competitive advantage some morally and others immorally. The moment you regulate to prevent immoral actions the market is no longer "free" and you have to regulate for immoral actions because someone will try to game the system.

  • Bornhuetter, on 06/13/2008, -6/+69I hate all of you
    • BelatedHero, on 06/13/2008, -1/+15You wanna step outside?
    • FaceCage, on 06/13/2008, -3/+13PLEASE, I'd take both of you A**holes to the ***** CLEANERS!
      ***** YOU!
      • CedEx, on 06/13/2008, -0/+1You own a dry cleaning shop do you?
        • djholybolt, on 06/13/2008, -0/+3After i kick your ass, would you steam press my jacket?
      • sleepwalkers, on 06/13/2008, -0/+1WE'LL DO IT LIVE!
    • jzuska, on 06/13/2008, -1/+11Come get some. I'm armed to the teeth.
    • nullx42, on 06/13/2008, -2/+8FUUUuuuCCCKKK!!!
    • jimmiss, on 06/13/2008, -0/+4Most people never hate anything as much as I hate everything.
    • crazydiode, on 06/13/2008, -2/+2*****!!! I DONT HAVE ANGER ISSUES...
    • archer104, on 06/13/2008, -0/+2If anyone says they hate anger more than I do, they better have a knife, that's all I gotta say.
    • halfabean, on 06/13/2008, -0/+2i love this thread.
      but i hate you.
    • Haoie, on 06/13/2008, -0/+2Dude, chill out.
  • CalvinMonk, on 06/13/2008, -8/+2Hemroids
  • snotrokit, on 06/13/2008, -11/+45Because we are neck deep in crap and losing ground fast. Really. Turn on the news. Even the local stuff. Everything is doom and gloom. Recession, murder, rape, fires, floods, oppressive governments here and abroad, the complete destruction of civil rights here and abroad, war, famine, death, gas prices..... who isn't pissed off or depressed about the general state of the world?
    • jnava121, on 06/13/2008, -8/+9bad news sells better than good news negative nancy... Grow a pair ...
    • Anteros, on 06/13/2008, -2/+4Me because I don't watch the news any more.
      • mrraven200, on 06/13/2008, -0/+4Does it help to NOT know that for example Bush suspended habeas corpus a 1000 year old human right for years and that it was only narrowly restored yesterday? Ignorance may be short term bliss but it is certainly is NOT helpful if we want to see a better world IMO. I'd rather by angry occasionally and have a working knowledge of the state of the world then be a bliss ninny, YMMV.
        • Anteros, on 06/13/2008, -0/+2Getting angry and depressed about events in the news is not going to put me the state of mind to contribute something useful to this world. So I would argue that me not watching the news is actually beneficial for the world overall (even if this benefit might be quite small).

          To be honest I do watch some news but tend to focus on stories on more positive developments in science and technology. A lot of the news tends to be exaggerated and sensationalized and designed to provoke an emotional response in the reader.
        • mrraven200, on 06/13/2008, -1/+1Happy time news now with 50% less content. New iphone, SAVE, SAVE, SAVE. Just igonore the dead Iraqi babies behind the screen. Self centered much?
    • PlanR, on 06/13/2008, -2/+12"...who isn't pissed off or depressed..."

      Well, for starters, those who turn off the television/XBox/PS3/iPod/iPhone and actually get up off the couch and go outside. Here's some shocking news for you: the world is much different than the news media portrays it to be. I have traveled all over the damn world and guess what: all I ever meet are *nice* people who want to talk and help and just have the pleasure of meeting someone from far away.

      To be blunt, if you "grew a pair" (as jnava121 suggested) and got personally involved in your community instead of waiting around for everything to be spoon fed to you...if you grow up and realize that not every news commentator's opinion is an actual fact...when you finally realize that the world does not actually revolve around you and your lint-filled belly button... then you would discover that the world is actually a pretty cool place.

      (sorry to make quick and harsh judgements of you, but your post indicates that you are suffering from advanced stages of couch-brain-rot disease.)
      • Anteros, on 06/13/2008, -0/+7Completely agree, there are some great people and places out there.
      • bigkeeperrabbit, on 06/13/2008, -2/+0I hate belly button lint.
      • mrraven200, on 06/13/2008, -0/+1Sure the for example logger scum and their employers may be nice to YOU if you don't challenge them. Have some values and stick up for those trees against their greed and you'd find a very different story that includes murder among other things:

        http://www.earthportals.com/dchain.html
        http://www.geocities.com/rainforest/vines/9901/dea ...

        Acting superficially nice to SOME people that don't rock the boat and actually being nice are two very. different things. Those southern white Sheriffs in the 50s were "nice" people if you were white and didn't challenge their racist beliefs, and if not, not.
    • tidu, on 06/13/2008, -0/+7It's actually always been like that. Maybe the news just informs us about new, horrible things.
    • adnams, on 06/13/2008, -0/+17God damn it, an entire generation pumping gas, waiting tables; slaves with white collars. Advertising has us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy ***** we don't need. We're the middle children of history, man. No purpose or place. We have no Great War. No Great Depression. Our Great War's a spiritual war... our Great Depression is our lives. We've all been raised on television to believe that one day we'd all be millionaires, and movie gods, and rock stars. But we won't. And we're slowly learning that fact. And we're very, very pissed off.
      • candafilm, on 06/13/2008, -0/+15You are not a beautiful and unique snowflake.
      • MrESaulved, on 06/13/2008, -4/+1"We've all been raised on television to believe that one day we'd all be millionaires, and movie gods, and rock stars."

        You're kidding. How on earth did you come to that conclusion?
        • fokov, on 06/13/2008, -0/+4its from Brad Pitt's Monologue in Fight Club
    • EarlOfLade, on 06/13/2008, -0/+4I am not but then again, I have ensured that none of these issues will have any effect on me whatsoever. It's called planning and use of common sense.
      It's not like tornadoes are a new phenomenon or that floods along rivers and with flat surroundings are not flooded on a regular basis. What is surprising is that people build new unsafe houses on the property where your old house was ripped to piece by a tornado, rather than move to a more safe area or build tornado safe houses.
      I live in a hurricane area in Florida and a few years ago, we were hit with three hurricanes in one season, my house was in the middle were all three paths crossed. Net damage on house: 11 shingles lost. You have to build to withstand the forces nature throw at you or move to a different location. I don't fear hurricanes because I'm ready.

      • sure13, on 06/13/2008, -0/+2I live in Omaha, NE and in the last few weeks we've had tornado sirens going off literally every other night..before that I lived in western Nebraska where the tornado's seemed to be less often but more severe. We are both biased as most likely you've never witnessed tornado damage and the only hurricane damage I've seen is in the news.

        BUT, I like how you said move to a safer area or build tornado safe houses. For farmers and ranchers who work with the land, there is no option to move somewhere else for the off chance that YOU are the one that might actually get hit by the tornado. Most land is passed down through the generations of your family and it would be impossible to afford and even go about moving your entire farm and all equipment to a new area. We don't have this option and even if we did I'll admit we're probably too proud to take that route anyways.

        As for building tornado safe homes? I'd like to see your design proposal for that one. Shelters and schools built completely out of concrete and steel are torn up just as easily as homes built by 2x4's. The only solution I can see for a tornado safe home would be to build it mostly underground...but wait...then when flood season hits we're screwed there. You want to know what sucks? The water table in Nebraska is causing flooding to the point where most people's basements are filled with water as I speak, and we're worried about the unnaturally high occurrence of tornado's already this summer.

        Ignorance is bliss.
        • EarlOfLade, on 06/13/2008, -1/+1So, what law says that you HAVE to live where you are born? I have moved several times in my 50 year long life. I currently live in Florida, but am a citizen of a different country.

          As for tornado proof house designs, do a quick Google search and you'll find tons of them.

          And yes, it seems like your own ignorance is bliss because I'm far from ignorant. I know that you have to adapt or move. Doing the same thing over and over again (building unsafe houses) and expecting a different outcome when disaster hits, fits the profile of insanity.

          If you live in a place that gets flooded at regular intervals and don't do anything about it, who is to blame? Nature or you?

          I'm sorry, but I have zero compassion for those who rebuild on the same spot with the same unsafe design. They should be denied any form of insurance or assistance.
    • endus, on 06/13/2008, -1/+2Totally, totally, totally agree dude. I think we're getting to a point where the organization of society is working against us. We're stuck in a rut by momentum and NO ONE is happy with how they're living. No idea what the solution is, but I know that many of the things my government turns into my problem are things I could absolutely care less about. Our leaders make problems for us that we wouldn't otherwise have. Life has become ridiculously complex.
      • pkonink, on 06/14/2008, -0/+1There is a solution, put very eloquently a couple thousand years ago along the lines of "render unto Caesar..."

        To put it less eloquently but more clearly, don't just cut up your credit cards - burn your cash, dump your stocks give away your house and your car, quit your soul-sucking job and unplug the television. Learn how to grow your own food and make your own clothes and find other people who have made the same lifestyle commitment you have to pool your industry. Learn how to cope with death.

        The answer is right in front of everyone. But I can't blame anyone for not wanting to see it, because it requires huge sacrifices and a leap into an unkown so vast it beggars the modern person's understanding. It is an existential fear that we will only be forced into and I doubt will ever choose willingly.
    • mcfara, on 06/13/2008, -0/+3"Life has become ridiculously complex."

      That's the reasoning as far as I'm concerned. If you or I woke up and only had a few tasks to accomplish each day we'd be much happier and less stressed than we do by trying to jam pack every second with stuff to do. People get angry and pissed because they think they need every waking moment to accomplish their tasks for the day. Kinda sucks.
    • elamr, on 06/13/2008, -0/+1egoic implosion of the human species. We'll survive, but hopefully more mature soon.
  • Hetman, on 06/13/2008, -3/+46The age of rage. What a misleading title. I think there was more rage a 1000 years ago when we were fighting one another just to survive. It is not like there has been a time in human history were everyone was at peace. This is one of the safest periods in human history to live.
    • tEhKewleSt, on 06/13/2008, -2/+23Agreed. People seem to forget that not long ago when there was a war and a city was taken, it was not uncommon for the conquering army to kill every man, rape/kill all the woman, and simply enslave anyone who was left. I think it is fair to say a little road rage pales in comparison.
      • Haroshia, on 06/13/2008, -1/+4Yeah but were they angry when they did the killing/raping, or did they just do it for kicks?
      • pkonink, on 06/14/2008, -1/+2I just want to make sure you understand that humans have been around for much longer than what is generally accepted as "human history," which is about what? About three thousand years? And then the story which has been pieced together makes that picture a bit less than a mystery for about the past 10,000 years or so?

        Humans have lived and evolved for hundreds of thousands of years - a couple million if you want emphasize the evolve. Now who honestly believes that rage was an everyday facet of human life all that time? Could our species have survived if it was?

        Is rage an everyday facet of the silverback gorilla, chimpanzee or orangutan? Has there ever been an example of chimpanzees committing genocide? Indigenous human tribes often go to "war" with each other, but how often does that result in one tribe being slaughtered wholesale by the other?

        This is radically far from one of the safest periods of human history to live. But that's taking the extreme long view, I suppose.
    • RandomCommenter, on 06/13/2008, -2/+3That does of course depend on where/how you live etc
    • DharmaDog, on 06/13/2008, -0/+4It's different now though. While we may have had to literally fight for our survival 1000 years ago, the act of fighting probably allowed you to blow off steam and feel like you accomplished something to better your situation. These days we can't literally fight for our survival. Who would you fight? But we struggle to survive just the same. Our world is more complicated and there isn't just one person or group of people that is responsible. There is no good target for our frustration, and there is no good outlet for it. I think this leads to pent up rage in people that eventually snap.
    • ProjectGSX, on 06/13/2008, -4/+1Completely off-base. There is a monumental difference between fighting to survive and fighting.. just to fight. This article outlines the senselessness of the current situation, whereas the situation you outlined atleast had a purpose.
    • bobartig, on 06/13/2008, -1/+1It's not a "standard of living" issue. By all means, our standard of living is very high compared to the rest of human history. Culturally, we are all becoming very impatient, petulant and entitled, and expecting instant gratification in every situation. We don't want to wait several days to get an answer to a question, instead of mailing a letter to someone, we IM them and expect a response in seconds.

      We don't want to wait in line for service, we want help immediately. This has become part of the modern psyche, and it bleeds into other activities. It causes people to become impatient in more and more situations. 50 years ago, do you think anyone would walk into a store with their broken widget, then start screaming, stamping their feet, throwing things and having a tantrum from having to wait, or not getting the answer they wanted? Noone over the age of 3 would have behaved that way. But I can tell you, from working retail, we saw this almost EVERY DAY. There I was, mid 20's guy watching middle aged people going nuts, and thinking, "Why are these people so immature?"
    • serendipitously, on 06/14/2008, -2/+0very true. Its relatively peaceful compared to the NZ natives fighting one another before white settlement
  • tEhKewleSt, on 06/13/2008, -1/+4I'm not really.
  • wertach, on 06/13/2008, -9/+6" one person in 20 has had a fight with a next-door neighbour? That one driver in four admits to committing an act of road rage?"

    Someone is lying. It's more like 15 out of 20 and 3 out of 4!
    • wertach, on 06/13/2008, -0/+5Digging me down for telling the truth? :)
  • i4ybrid, on 06/13/2008, -5/+65***** IT!
    We'll do it live!
  • salomejones, on 06/13/2008, -2/+50I really love how every time someone wants to write a popular article, they just take some kind of social pattern that's been true for as long as there have been humans and pretend that they're the first to notice it.
    • dullnation, on 06/13/2008, -0/+18I know what you mean, it ***** PISSES ME OFF SO MCH@@!!!....
    • revjustin2, on 06/13/2008, -0/+9Ravaged by Urges: why do we pee so much?
    • jordanlgta, on 06/13/2008, -1/+2You love that?
    • KingGorilla, on 06/13/2008, -0/+1I love how people say they love something but they really don't. sarcasm ftw!
  • jerryn, on 06/13/2008, -0/+26We work too much, tight schedules, too selfish. Maybe we need to learn from the slackers out there. Here's what I've learned:
    We are not here forever. Sometimes life can be cut short by an accident or disease. Don't waste your life worrying about work all the time. Because before you know it, your done. Also things aren't important. Sure we need shelter, transportation, etc. but the friends
    family and experiences we have along life's journey is more valuable than anything. If the commute is getting to you, get an Ipod.. hook it up to your auto's stereo, and chill. No need for road rage.
    • brucebeardmore, on 06/13/2008, -0/+5Advertising has us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy ***** we don't need. We're the middle children of history, man. No purpose or place. We have no Great War. No Great Depression. Our Great War's a spiritual war... our Great Depression is our lives. We've all been raised on television to believe that one day we'd all be millionaires, and movie gods, and rock stars. But we won't. And we're slowly learning that fact. And we're very, very pissed off.
      • sodade, on 06/13/2008, -0/+1Well said sir. Thank you for reminding me that there are still people out there who get it.
      • jackkerouac, on 06/13/2008, -0/+1Hey! The first rule of Fight Club is DON'T TALK ABOUT FIGHT CLUB!
      • jerryn, on 06/13/2008, -0/+2I think another Great Depression is around the corner. things are going to get worse this winter. With all the floods how are we going to grow crops? Add the high cost of energy and I think we are in for a rough ride. But as you said.. there is a benefit from this, a sense of purpose and place restored, hopefully.
    • Haroshia, on 06/13/2008, -0/+3We'd be better off if we could all light up a joint and just chill.
    • wrestlingnrj, on 06/13/2008, -0/+1You could also help others calm down with their road rage. I got my dad a big sticker for his car that says "Keep Honking, I'm Reloading" and a big NRA sticker. He said he's noticed a drop in people trying to give him the finger and what not.
    • EmperorAwesome, on 06/13/2008, -0/+1I'd recommend that everyone should start drinking heavily.
  • andretii, on 06/13/2008, -8/+3Oh me so horny!
  • nailz420, on 06/13/2008, -2/+5RAAAAAAAAAAGE!!
  • beautifulleper, on 06/13/2008, -6/+0f'ing diggers, I hate every last one of you, I am going to come over to your houses and eat your children for dinner!!!
  • Aeomyr, on 06/13/2008, -1/+2Good article
  • h4mx0r, on 06/13/2008, -3/+10HULK SMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASH!
  • seanmx, on 06/13/2008, -2/+6You wouldnt like me when i'm angry
    • archer104, on 06/13/2008, -2/+2I don't like you when you're happy.
  • slsashrk, on 06/13/2008, -3/+20The British Association of Anger Management has produced a six-point plan to help people to manage anger:
    1. Stop, think and look at the bigger picture.
    2. It's OK to have a different opinion.
    3. Listen carefully. Learn to listen.
    4. Use your support network.
    5. Keep a journal.
    6. Don't take anything personally.

    In America we don't need a six-point plan. We only need one.
    1. Shoot the *****!
    • BryanG412, on 06/13/2008, -2/+14I'm President Bush, and I approved this message.
      • leerayIG88, on 06/13/2008, -2/+2Are you sure you're Pres. Bush? I see your name "ByranG412".
    • HairyFotr, on 06/13/2008, -0/+11And it's called the six-shooter plan...
    • jzuska, on 06/13/2008, -2/+2I have the 8+1 00 (That's Double Ought) Shotgun plan.
    • mrraven200, on 06/13/2008, -0/+2The flip side is though is what happens if we repress our anger? If I find out for example that some speculator is going to cause me to spend an extra 500 dollars out of my ~10,000/yr wage on fuel it seems pretty natural I am going to be angry. I think keeping it bottled up inside could lead to terrible neurosis. Now of course there are better and worse ways to express that anger but to just pretend it doesn't exist and repress it is not helpful IMO.
    • elamr, on 06/13/2008, -0/+2America, ***** Yeah!
  • post3r3r, on 06/13/2008, -0/+8We so easily forgot how violent humans are naturally. We have become less full of rage through the years.
    The Myth of Violence - Steven Pinker
    http://www.lifehack.org/articles/miscellaneous/the ...
    • jerwin, on 06/13/2008, -0/+3I agree with this. Humans are by our very nature violent creatures. One just has to look at the last 2000 years to see an almost infinite number of examples of human rage and violence. It is only in the last century at best, perhaps only the last 50 years, that technology and progress has eliminated, for civilized society in any case, most of the survival reasons for violence, and our tolerance for things like the inquisition is just not what it used to be.

      One only has to look at human society that has not progressed as much to see the true nature of human rage and violence. The middle-east is still, by most accounts, living in the 7th century. China, North Korea etc still use very horrific techniques for keeping their citizens in line.

      We, on the other hand, think barking dogs and water-boarding are extremes. To me this suggests that our human nature towards rage and violence is still in us, but the outlets for expressing that gare have been removed so we tend to turn on each other.

      This election is a great example. The past 50 years have shown us that, in the end, it doesn't really matter that much who gets elected. Yet, we get very polarized and act as if the planet will come off its axis if X or Y gets into power. Politics gives us an outlet for the rage we cannot express elsewhere.
  • pjpete, on 06/13/2008, -0/+10Personally, I believe a large part of why we are so angry is due to the stress of everyday life in the modern world, compounded with the number of people we have to compete with and wait upon. Part of it is control issues for some people, who don't want the person in front of them defining how fast they can drive, or making them wait for the bank teller. I know I long for a simpler life myself and would much rather live in a small town away from the hustle and bustle.
    • endus, on 06/13/2008, -0/+2I agree. I think this is probably the best summation I've read so far. Your point about not wanting the person in front of you defining how fast you drive, etc. is exactly it.
  • admdrew, on 06/13/2008, -1/+4Our anger and douchebaggery can be attributed to the internet:
    http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/03/19/
  • MeteoMan8314, on 06/13/2008, -4/+3***** THING SUCKS!
  • gryphon50, on 06/13/2008, -1/+1I think there are so many things burdening people these days. First of all, just because you're an adult does not mean you got over everything that happened to you in childhood. You may still be dealing, at least subconsciously, with those old issues. Then you have all new issues to add to that- financial ones (much worse now that the economy is tanking), work, taking care of kids, spouse driving you crazy, busy schedules, etc.
    • jackkerouac, on 06/13/2008, -0/+1How EXACTLY is the economy tanking? You've growth during the past 10 quarters. That's not tanking dude.
  • r0b1, on 06/13/2008, -6/+3THERE'S NO WORDS THERE
  • pintomp3, on 06/13/2008, -1/+6BECAUSE THE TELEPROMPTER IS BROKEN! WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN "TO PLAY US OUT"?
    • bobartig, on 06/13/2008, -0/+1"***** it! We'll do it live! WE'LL DO IT LIVE!!!!"
  • cutebutnerdy, on 06/13/2008, -0/+2I think it all depends on what kind of day the individual is having. It's true we all have some Hulk in us.
  • dystra, on 06/13/2008, -1/+8"LOUD NOISES!"
    • mondster, on 06/13/2008, -0/+1LOLOLOLOL!!!!! OMG I love you! So few intellectual elites that appreciate the hilarity of the movie you quote. I love lamp.
  • dildoolielly, on 06/13/2008, -8/+3You haven't heard? Its the "Family Value" mentality.

    Americans are just following their Republikan leaders who have had control of the country for the past eight years! Crooks, hypocrits, liars, thieves, murderers, traitors, psychotics.

    Its the new "Amerikan way!"
  • BigPapi, on 06/13/2008, -2/+15I get road rage just about everyday. Why? People who cut in line in traffic. It happens to me everyday. Here I am sitting in line in the slow lane of the highway, edging my way to the interchange and when I finally get there after a whopping 5 whole minutes of waiting, at least one assclown comes speeding in from my left, puts on their right blinker and tries to squeeze into the lane in front of me. Every ***** day. People have become so accustomed to cutting in line that they'll even swerve in at the last minute when there isn't any traffic. If it wasn't for that interchange I'd be perfectly happy driving to work everyday.

    *****, if the State Troopers gave me permission to hand out tickets there, I'd do it every goddamn morning for free. I'd keep everyone pulled over for at least 45 minutes and taunt them if they had to use the bathroom. It would be the highlight of my day.
    • drmangrum, on 06/13/2008, -0/+11That's when you stick the bumper in front of you and refuse to let them in. If they hit you it's their fault. I feel no sympathy when after 5 miles of warnings the bastards still in the wrong lane. I've actually had it where i force the person into those big orange barrels. ***** them.
    • Dragon88, on 06/13/2008, -9/+3WAAAAAAHH!!! SOMEONE DROVE THEIR SUV IN FRONT OF MINE! I'M GO BITCH ABOUT IT WHILE I SUCK DOWN MY GRANDE LATTE!
    • tightscrummy, on 06/13/2008, -0/+6There was a George Carlin bit a long time ago (I know, he's not funny) about giving every driver a large dart gun and a supply of suction cup darts with an flag that said "idiot" on attached (rare-earth magnet with a key would work better). If the highway patrol or cops saw a car with more than some threshold of idiot flags on it they'd pull the car over and give a ticket.
  • myass666mlong, on 06/13/2008, -17/+2RAGE UR FAG FACE ... sleepin only 5 hours , paying everywhere , ***** job , nosex,news, protests , fukin europe ***** ... i just need some weed ... ***** RAGE !!! YEAH ! ***** ***** U ***** FU CUFKC UFJCIJFOIJCOIESJR NCPOEJRPF9CJ EP'S0RIF`'0EIR0FD`S0PKID+W
    DSIJDPIJWSPEJDPWJEDPWJPEDJWPOEJDPOWJEPDWJPEDOJPEIJDPJEDPWOJ
    EDJWIJEDPIJEPOFIJWPIJDCOIJOIJPEIJDPJWPP9JWPJLIJRNFRBGIUBRTIGORTHGPOJRET
    EIFOEWIJRFPOI
    AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
    AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
    AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
    AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
    AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
    AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
    AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
    AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
    AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
    AAAAAAAAAAA
    AAAAA
    AAA
    A
    high five :)
    • myass666mlong, on 06/13/2008, -2/+1u know... last night i dream to kill my retard parents . nah just kiddin
      i just smack my cat , then in the mornin i call my teacher skank , its true u dont belive it ... I FUKIN HATE THIS WORLD !!! specially in the mornings
  • ace144, on 06/13/2008, -0/+9"I'm addicted to rage-ahol....Rage-ahol!"
    • FaceCage, on 06/13/2008, -0/+1Did you just call me an *****?
      ***** your mother!
    • mrraven200, on 06/13/2008, -0/+2I think you do have a point there that emotions juice us up with chemicals we find addicting. At the risk of sounding sexist for men it's rage, for women it's drama. And yes I know that's a generalization and that many exceptions exist but I am saying looking at a normal distribution that's how it plays out. Whether that's due to nature or nurture is of course a whole other ball of wax.

      They both suck of course endless road rage and endless chick flicks full of crying and screaming such that you can't have a tranquil thought are both hell on Earth. That is why Sartre said in "No Exit: that "hell is other people."
  • nerdia, on 06/13/2008, -0/+4While I think we are a lot more quick to anger, I also think it has a LOT to do with the lack of consideration in people. Everyone's time is precious and when you do something stupid to inconvenience someone else you should either apologize, or be weary of it and not do it again.
    If i can take the time to look in my rear view mirror and see that I'm slowing down people behind me in the fast lane and switch over to a slower lane, why can't other drivers do that especially when they're doing 80 in a 100 zone? People are so self absorbed they don't take the time anymore to be weary of what they do and how they affect others.
    • kuzotz, on 06/13/2008, -0/+3try commuting in oklahoma city where people don't let you merge on the highway or when you try to merge the driver in front of you doesn't speed up to allow you onto the highway. Or the drivers that break really hard then speed up again, and sometimes its the police who do this so they can pull you over for some courtesy law you broke apparently. Yes that ***** has happened to me, and by the end of the day you are pissed because you have ***** to do, and bills to pay. Even college students feel this stress. Often times more than most people especially if you're working your way through college like me. That's partly why I am about to do a study abroad in Japan. Sure it's xenophobic, but I'll be at an international school anyway so it doesn't matter. It's in a small town that's known for it's hot springs on top of a mountain with a great view of the ocean to boot. So I'm not complaining, and I will use this as a 1 year vacation (yes I know the work force hates me now and think I am a waste of space of a student like most college students, but you know what ***** you if you hate me for wanting to study abroad in order to escape a lot of the stresses in american everyday life).
    • CedEx, on 06/13/2008, -0/+3I think a lot of people rage because they know laws protect them from a beat down when they yell and scream profanities at others.

      It's because we live in a "civilized" society which allows people to rage without consequences.

      Just like how Quinton "Rampage" Jackson said in a video about online gaming, how people would be yelling "*****" across Halo on XBox Live when he plays, but probably wouldn't say a thing if they were playing old school style sitting side by side.
    • tony23, on 06/14/2008, -0/+1I think we would have a much more polite society if we brought back the concept of the formal duel.
  • BDOUG, on 06/13/2008, -0/+7One half of the equation: "If something or someone delays us, we see it as a threat to our precious, finite time." The other half: clueless selfish people who think they are the only ones waiting at the stoplight, waiting in line, watching the movie, etc. While it's true we all need to be more patient and chill out, the general level of "consideration for others" has also gone down, too. Both need to be addressed, IMO. Sorry if that makes anyone angry. :-)
    • tsunamitomi, on 06/13/2008, -0/+3I used to be a very inconsiderate driver. I would fiercely defend my spot on the freeway and would not allow anyone to get in front of me. If someone even tried to sneak in I would get so angry and would lose my temper.

      I have since "grown up" and realized that letting a few cars in front of me on the freeway is not going to kill my commute. When I am in traffic or in a merging lane I do my best to have a few car lengths of space in front of me.

      Not only do I let cars in front of me, I invite them to do so and it is enjoyable to help others. I changed my outlook on the situation and realized that I was doing myself a disservice by getting so angry.
      • BDOUG, on 06/14/2008, -0/+1Good for you! Increased patience is definitely a sign of increased maturity. Apparently a lot of people don't know what those "alternate merge" signs mean. They mean we're supposed to take turns and let people in. Driver's ed is not very good in the USA.
  • pcpimpster, on 06/13/2008, -1/+10What the ***** are you looking at!
  • BryanG412, on 06/13/2008, -2/+7You know what makes me angry, those really huge bug eyed sunglasses that girls who watch "The Hills" wear.
    • Hetman, on 06/13/2008, -1/+6The only reason that makes you angry is because you are not screwing those girls.
  • stealthc, on 06/13/2008, -1/+11I think it has a lot to do with how isolated we are from one another in the present culture. Lots of us drive alone in our cars, work alone in front of our computers, and spend leisure time alone in front of the TV. We're not totally solitary; coworkers, family and friends do factor into those situations, but time interacting with strangers or large groups of people is minimal to non-existent. Without much experience in that area, lots of people still act like children in those contexts.
    • endus, on 06/13/2008, -0/+3I think that is a reaction to the problem, not the problem itself. So many of us are living on top of each other. We don't form communities because we're so bombarded by dealing with other people that we retreat into what little solitude we have. It's a lot easier to be friends with your neighbor when he doesn't live 10 feet away from you and can't hear everything that goes on in your house.
      • stealthc, on 06/13/2008, -0/+1I think you and I might live in different types of places. I can completely understand the desire to withdraw when you live in a sea of humanity like NYC. I'm referring to the vast majority of the country, who live in more spread out conditions and really aren't compelled to interact with anyone they don't absolutely have to. We definitely all live closer together than ever, but we have so many contrivances with which to isolate ourselves. There's something about our personality that's changed as well. The front porch, the home of mingling with the neighbors and chatting with passers-by, has given way to the back porch, the home of the private get-together.

        Whatever you want to blame, I think you and I both agree everyone's more introverted than they used to be.
  • GalacticRerun, on 06/13/2008, -0/+9People are idiots. It's that simple. If there weren't so many idiots around we wouldn't be so angry.
  • bluerei, on 06/13/2008, -2/+0Q: "Why are we so angry?"

    A: Watch 28 Days Later.
  • whisperedlie, on 06/13/2008, -2/+6let's see...

    overpopulation is the key, and almost all of the following are related: the fact that most of us can't afford to live the lives that corporations have convinced us we need to live, intense competition in all fronts of our lives, failure of family units, connected to every little thing that happens across the globe so every little horrible depressing thing that happens is fed right into our heads almost instantly... so on so forth. is it really a mystery?
  • Owned1Up, on 06/13/2008, -0/+5#1 Reason: Digg is not saved, please reload the ***** page and try again
  • republicker, on 06/13/2008, -0/+7"Take a deep breath and count to 10, not gonna let it get under my skin" -Clutch
  • duder83, on 06/13/2008, -0/+4It's the tomatoes i ate
    • wertach, on 06/13/2008, -0/+3Mine are safe they are fresh from the garden.
  • BoomShake007, on 06/13/2008, -0/+19I think people are becoming more selfish ever since the "feel-good" environment came about. In the classroom, at home, anywhere, you can't tell little Billy "No" or "You're wrong" or anything that may negatively impact his self esteem. Parents are replacing actual parenting by television, video-games, etc. and giving in to their child's every request. The result is the "f*uck you, hooray for me" attitude. It's easy to see it on the road when that guy cuts you off because his destination is just so much more important, the lady that just walks out to cross the road and saunters across regardless of how much traffic she's holding up, everywhere, or how almost nobody is willing to accept the consequences for their actions. The respect for fellow people and elders is quickly disappearing. I base this on both personal observations (I'm 20 now), many of my former teacher's observations of their students over the years, and various others (both my age, younger, and older).

    While I've never gotten violent, and I very rarely do anything more than curse in private about these things, I get angry. The thing is, it's not because someone cut me off. The event's specifics don't matter. What fills me with rage is how selfish and stupid the person is behaving.
    • Hamletlere, on 06/13/2008, -0/+3I like to think that MOST people aren't the selfish assholes, and it's just a few bad apples. Perhaps I am deluding myself, but it makes me feel better, and I do meet many genuinely nice people!
  • drmangrum, on 06/13/2008, -0/+9Why are we angry?
    We're over worked, exhausted, underpaid, over medicated, and under appreciated. If we actually exhibit anger or frustration we're sent to therapy. Sometimes all you need is a good howl of rage to let it out. When people flip out, it's not really a particular incident caused it. It's a symptom of a much larger problem. The trigger incident is just the proverbial straw that broke the camels back.

    Those "tips" they listed are part of the problem. It's OK to let out some anger, it's all in how you do it. Humans, despite what most people would like to think, are primal animals. Sometimes you have to let an ***** know they're an *****.
    • endus, on 06/13/2008, -0/+4The therapy thing is such a good point. We have allowed our technology to create faster, more hectic, more stressful lives for ourselves rather than allowing it to make life better. Faster, faster, faster, more, more, more. If you become depressed from all the stress and madness, clearly there is something wrong with YOU...not the world in general. We have all this technology, all this wealth, and yet we still work constantly, and at the same time there are people starving to death and who can't find work. Spread the work and the wealth out and we will all lead more enjoyable lives.

      This is not an endorsement of communism, by the way, if it's not voluntary it ain't ever gonna work.
  • gttim, on 06/13/2008, -4/+3Bush!
  • FearFactory, on 06/13/2008, -2/+1;_;
  • ep53, on 06/13/2008, -1/+2MA WHERES MY PROTEIN!!!
  • wynja, on 06/13/2008, -1/+2One should not suffer fools their ignorance. The problem with opinions is that fools keep them even when shown facts that refute them. Tolerance is not to be over used. Should America have tolerated the Germany occupation of Europe?
    • Waiting2awake, on 06/13/2008, -1/+1Or Americas of Iraq?
    • The_Red_Monkey, on 06/13/2008, -0/+1The real problem is they do not keep their opinions, they want you to have them too.
  • pershingdriver, on 06/13/2008, -0/+2We are quick to anger because of gun control.
    Society was a lot more polite when we all were well armed.
  • Fetching more discussions...
    Show 51 - 100 of 109 discussions
  •  

    Login or register to add a comment

    Create a new account or login to join in the conversation on Digg. You'll also be able to Digg stories to help promote things you like.


© Digg Inc. 2008 — Content posted by Digg users is dedicated to the public domain.
DIGG, DIGG IT, DUGG, DIGG THIS, Digg graphics, logos, designs, page headers, button icons, scripts, and other service names are the trademarks of Digg Inc.