Why are you so Angry?

I know I use this blog to rant and rave about all kinds of things. It’s therapeutic and fun but I’m not actually that pissed off. Truth be told I’m kind of an old hippy. I’m much more Don Cornelius wishing you “Peace, Love and Soul” than Don King. It’s from this place that I pose the following question: What in the hell is everyone so mad about?


Nope, not a rhetorical question. Everybody everywhere is angry. At everything. Look at politics. There were furious demonstrations and calls for our new president’s impeachment less than 24 hours after he took office. The left, taking a break from preaching tolerance, hate this guy. Kind of like good Christians hated the last guy. Everybody hates Congress. Um, didn’t you all just finish voting for these guys?


A whole lot of conservative people here seem pissed off at Muslims which is strange because Muslims hate gay people, just like some of them do. Then, to further complicate the situation, liberal women are furious about the treatment of Muslims even though Muslims mostly want to take all their rights away. Black people are way pissed at white people. Women are enraged at men. It goes on and on. Why?


Much of this anger seems to be badly misplaced. America ain’t perfect but when it comes right down to it there isn’t a much more tolerant, diverse place on Earth. Why in the hell are women so pissed off at us when Saudi Arabia treats them like shit? Sure, our civil rights history isn’t perfect but I don’t see the relationship between the places we need to do better and the amount of rage it produces.


Politics is the most obvious but anger seems to be everywhere. The environmental movement is preaching a rage filled doom. Music is full anger and so are the movies. The news media has turned into a 24 hour outrage producing machine. I just don’t get it.


Not to be contrary but the fact is things aren’t really that bad. As a society we treat minorities and women more equally than we ever have in history. The environment is way the fuck better than it was 50 or even 100 years ago. Standards of living are pretty decent. Yes the government is fucked but it always has been and likely always will be. Perhaps, as the Buddha said, the problem is not the problem. The problem is your attitude.


To sum it up, the world is pretty good but you’re an asshole. How about we we stop and take a breath or two. Maybe let’s focus on some good things. Let’s see what we can agree upon. Let’s all work really hard on fixing our anger problem and the other problems might get quite a bit better. See, I told you I was a hippy. Saor Alba, Vaya con Dios, & Viva la Revolucion.