On Anger
At Perth Stoa last week, our monthly Stoic philosophy discussion group, we explored the Stoic position on anger. This topic holds particular significance for me, as managing anger remains a flaw in my character that I work on daily, and it is a big reason why I pursued the practice of Stoicism.
The Stoics define anger as:
the desire for someone to be harmed or punished because of perceived injustice.
They view anger as never being helpful, based on a false judgement and a temporary madness. They were uncompromising on this point. As Seneca wrote:
"There is no more stupefying thing than anger, nothing more bent on its own strength."
Marcus Aurelius reminded himself daily:
"You don't have to turn this into something. It doesn't have to upset you. Things can't shape our decisions by themselves."
When we explored the Stoic definition of anger, it met with some resistance, particularly the element of wanting revenge. During the discussion, several participants shared something that surprised me: they wished they could feel more anger to address situations and stand up for themselves or others.
Reflecting further on these comments, I realised what people were actually seeking wasn't anger at all in the Stoic sense. What they wanted was the courage to stand up for what is just and right. This is precisely what Stoic teaching encourages. As rational human beings, we have a responsibility to act virtuously in difficult situations. We can pursue justice, set boundaries, and protect others without the clouded judgement and self-destructive force of anger. Courage and anger are not the same thing.
Some participants noted they could tell the difference between when anger had control of them versus when they had control of their anger. In Stoic terms, what they're describing is moving through that initial, often involuntary proto-emotion (first movement) and then choosing not to assent to the judgement that fuels sustained anger. That gap between the initial reaction and the considered response is exactly where the practice lives. That's where we exercise our capacity for reason.
This session reinforced for me that the work isn't about suppression or denying our immediate reactions. It's about examining our judgements and choosing responses aligned with virtue rather than passion. This is something I have to work on every day. I'll never be perfect, but I'm noticing progress, and I acknowledge I'll always be a student in this practice.