That rotten printer. It always needs something — ink, attention, paper — and now it isn't working. Horrible tech! Take this you dumb box: Whack!
According to an informal poll by CBS News, people are angry and they know why: Money, cost of living, politicians anbd broken politics, social media trolls, work, bad weather, traffic, and the media, to name a few.
In fact, according to a survey by APM Research Lab, nine in 10 Americans can name one news event that made them angry, but only half could name something that made them proud.
Anger can be a motivator. A Texas A&M study published in 2023 found that angry people were more persistent and better at solving word problems. In the study, they earned higher scores on a challenging video game.
Political leaders throughout history haven't needed studies to show them that anger is energizing. Anger has been exploited as fuel for wars and political movements. In the 1960s, Chinese leader Mao Zedong ordered people to publicly gather in angry Recalling Bitterness struggle sessions, designed to convince people that the success of the revolution outnumbered its failures.
From the distance of time passed and from another country, the manipulation there might seem obvious. It's less obvious up close.
Writing in the Boston Globe, social commentator Rob Henderson says if you feel angry and stuck in a cycle of anger, try turning down the volume on angry social media, videos, and news. Consider whether angry messages are being weaponized against you. Be skeptical at angry words you see online. Resolve to reject impulsivity.
