Anger, it appears, has acquired a poor reputation in our society. It is often seen as an emotion that's uncontrollable, immature, even dangerous. Yet, this is a tremendous disservice to one of our most potent human emotions. Anger is not merely a knee-jerk reaction to negative stimuli; it can also be a profound motivator for change, a call to arms when justice is found wanting.
This becomes clearer when we delve into the heart of the French Yellow Vests Movement. What began as a response to a proposed fuel tax quickly evolved into a widespread expression of anger against the socio-economic disparities plaguing the French society. The protesters, clad in their unmistakable high-visibility vests, became symbols of resistance, their anger resonating in the urban and rural landscapes of France alike. Their actions were a testament to the power of collective anger, ultimately leading to the government's retreat on the fuel tax and a slew of other economic concessions.
Meanwhile, across the Channel, these scenes sparked a dialogue, a self-reflection. A common refrain emerged amongst us Brits, a desire to "be more like the French." To leverage our anger, not to let it be stifled or dismissed by the government. To not accept the status quo when it is evidently unjust.
Similarly, the struggle against apartheid in South Africa was a raw testament to the transformative power of anger. Here was an entire population, marginalised and oppressed due to the colour of their skin. Figures like Nelson Mandela and Steve Biko stood at the forefront, channeling the collective anger into a formidable movement that eventually brought down one of the harshest systems of racial segregation the world has ever seen. This was not the anger of the irrational or the immature. This was the anger born of a profound injustice, and it led to profound change.
Closer to home, we have the example of the Suffragette movement in the early 20th century. Women, exhausted by their second-class status and the denial of their basic rights, turned their anger into action. The Suffragettes, in their courageous defiance, transformed this anger into a powerful movement that eventually led to women securing the right to vote. This victory was not achieved through passive acceptance but through active, angry resistance.
So, when James O'Brien complains about "angry left-wingers" on his LBC show, let's not be quick to dismiss or deride. Let's not forget the potency and the legitimacy of that anger. Instead, let us challenge the narrative that anger is an emotion to be embarrassed about or to suppress. Let's embrace our anger, let's channel it constructively and allow it to inspire.
Amongst the pantheon of political characters, Malcolm Tucker stands out as an exceptional example of how anger can be wielded effectively. The fictional creation of Armando Iannucci in the British television series "The Thick of It," Tucker is the epitome of political ruthlessness, a formidable spin doctor who uses his anger as a weapon to shape political outcomes.
Tucker's anger is not uncontrolled or purposeless; it is a strategic tool, deployed with surgical precision to keep politicians in line, ensure loyalty, and elicit desired results. Though a work of fiction, Tucker's character is emblematic of the potent force that anger can be within the realm of politics. He is a testament to the idea that anger, when channelled effectively, can be an incredibly powerful tool for achieving specific goals and maintaining control.
Through the character of Malcolm Tucker, we see a different side of anger's potential. While the examples of the French Yellow Vests Movement, the struggle against apartheid, and the Suffragette movement demonstrate anger as a collective force for transformative change, Tucker's portrayal illustrates how anger can also be employed on an individual level to exert influence and control within the political sphere. In this sense, Tucker serves as a reminder that anger, in all its forms, has an undeniable place in the world of politics.
Being angry is not about losing control, it's about taking control. It's about refusing to be silent, refusing to be passive. It's about challenging the status quo, about demanding better, demanding justice. It's about not accepting "that's just the way things are" and instead, pushing for "the way things should be."
So, yes, let's be angry. Let's reclaim our anger from those who would dismiss it as irrational or immature. Let's harness it as a catalyst for change, as a tool for justice. Let's put our anger into action, into movements, into demands for reform. Because history shows us, time and time again, that when anger is channelled constructively, it's not just powerful, it's transformative.
Someone somewhere on the internet put it very succinctly: ‘to be angry all the time is exhausting; to not be angry seems morally reprehensible’
I think you’re right but just being angry and screaming into our own echo chambers does not work. It does as you say have to be channeled into something productive. I suppose there is something to be said about righteous anger this anger has to be coupled with hope and faith. George Bernard Shaw said ‘The reasonable man adapts himself to the world: the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man’
Let’s all be unreasonable.