Anger

Passages

Every passage tagged with this emotion in the Vela corpus. Search the body text, narrow by source or register, click through to a book’s profile to see how the passage sits with the rest of the work.

Page 225 of 447 · 20 per page

• From Amplified Holy Bible (2015)

  25 “You are the sons (descendants) of the prophets and [heirs] of the covenant which God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘AND IN YOUR SEED (descendant) ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH SHALL BE BLESSED .’ [Gen 22:18 ; Gal 3:16 ] 26 “It was for you first of all that God raised up His Servant and Son [Jesus], and sent Him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways.” [Acts 2:24 ; 3:22 ] Acts 4 Peter and John Arrested 1 A ND WHILE Peter and John were talking to the people, the priests and the captain [who was in charge of the temple area and] of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to them, 2 being extremely disturbed and thoroughly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in [the case of] Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 3 So they arrested them and put them in jail until the next day, because it was evening. 4 But many of those who heard the message [of salvation] believed [in Jesus and accepted Him as the Christ]. And the number of the men came to be about 5,000. 5 On the next day, their magistrates and elders and scribes (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court) were gathered together in Jerusalem; 6 and a Annas the high priest was there, and b Caiaphas and c John and Alexander, and all others who were of high-priestly descent. 7 When they had put the men in d front of them, they repeatedly asked, “By what sort of power, or in what name [that is, by what kind of authority], did you do this [healing]?” 8 Then Peter, filled with [the power of] the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of the people [members of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish High Court], 9 if we are being put on trial today [to interrogate us] for a good deed done to [benefit] a disabled man, as to how this man has been restored to health, 10 let it be known and clearly understood by all of you, and by all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you [demanded be] crucified [by the Romans and], whom God raised from the dead—in this name [that is, by the authority and power of Jesus] this man stands here before you in good health. 11 “This Jesus is the STONE WHICH WAS DESPISED and REJECTED by you, THE BUILDERS , but WHICH BECAME THE e CHIEF CORNERSTONE .

• From Amplified Holy Bible (2015)

  20 ‘But I have this [charge] against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess [claiming to be inspired], and she teaches and misleads My bond-servants so that they commit [acts of sexual] immorality and eat food sacrificed to idols. [1 Kin 16:31 ; 2 Kin 9:22 , 30 ] 21 ‘I gave her time to repent [to change her inner self and her sinful way of thinking], but she has no desire to repent of her immorality and refuses to do so. 22 ‘ p Listen carefully, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her [I will bring] into great anguish, unless they repent of her deeds. 23 ‘And I will kill her children (followers) with q pestilence [thoroughly annihilating them], and all the churches will know [without any doubt] that I am He who searches the r minds and hearts [the innermost thoughts, purposes]; and I will give to each one of you [a reward or punishment] according to your deeds. [Ps 62:12 ; Jer 17:10 ] 24 ‘But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not explored and known the s depths of Satan, as they call them—I place no other burden on you, 25 except to hold tightly to what you have until I come. 26 ‘And he who overcomes [the world through believing that Jesus is the Son of God] and he who keeps My deeds [doing things that please Me] until the [very] end, TO HIM I WILL GIVE AUTHORITY and POWER OVER THE NATIONS ; [1 John 5:5 ] 27 AND HE SHALL SHEPHERD and RULE THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON , AS THE EARTHEN POTS ARE BROKEN IN PIECES , as I also have received authority [and power to rule them] from My Father; [Ps 2:8 , 9 ] 28 and I will give him the t Morning Star. 29 ‘He who has an ear, let him hear and heed what the Spirit says to the churches.’ Revelation 3 Message to Sardis 1 “T O THE angel (divine messenger) of the church in a Sardis write: “ T hese are the words of Him who has b the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: ‘I know your deeds; you have a name (reputation) that you are alive, but [in reality] you are dead. 2 ‘Wake up, and strengthen and reaffirm what remains [of your faithful commitment to Me], which is about to die; for I have not found [any of] your deeds completed in the sight of My God or meeting His requirements. 3 ‘So remember and take to heart the lessons you have received and heard. Keep and obey them, and repent [change your sinful way of thinking, and demonstrate your repentance with new behavior that proves a conscious decision to turn away from sin].

• From How to Deal with Angry People (2023)

  It’s an interesting question and you can actually find some of the answers by comparing it to another angering and hostile activity… driving. There are elements of both activities, being online and being in the car, that tend to bring out anger. Distance from the Person with Whom You’re Engaging When you are engaging with someone electronically, similarly to when you are on the road, you are distanced from them. You can’t see the impact of what you are saying or doing on the person you are communicating with. This physical distancing makes it easier for people to express their anger in hostile or cruel ways. It is simply easier to say something hurtful when you are not looking the person in the eye when you say it. Anonymity (or Perceived Anonymity) Even when they aren’t anonymous, people often report feeling anonymous when they are online (much like they do when they drive). In 2016, two researchers explored the impact of that anonymity on online interactions.65 Participants worked with others to unscramble a series of words, believing they would get a prize if they did so successfully. The activity, however, was rigged so they would always lose and the others they were working with were part of the study and not actually other participants. When they were done, they were asked to write a blog post, assigned to either an anonymous or non-anonymous condition, about their experience in the study. The group that was anonymous was more hostile and aggressive toward their “partners” than the non-anonymous group. What’s moderately alarming about this is that people don’t seem to realize how anonymity influences them. In a 2013 study I did on online ranting66 , 67 per cent of participants said they would rant online even if they weren’t anonymous. They said being anonymous wouldn’t change anything about how they behaved. The study above, though, suggests that isn’t true and that anonymity does influence them whether they know it or not. There are likely a lot of people out there who fail to recognize how their behavior is influenced by this anonymity or perceived anonymity.* Exacerbated Impulsivity Much of what we consider to be anger problems might actually be impulsivity problems. What I mean is that lots of people are angry but are able to control that anger. They don’t say or do cruel things, not because they aren’t thinking them or don’t want to do them, but because they are able to stop themselves from acting on their impulses. Others, though, get mad and express that anger impulsively, doing or saying things they regret. The nature of online platforms lend themselves to exacerbated impulsivity.

• From The Decameron (1353)

  The bird being after set before Messer Currado and certain stranger guests of his, lacking a thigh, and the former marvelling thereat, he let call Chichibio and asked him what was come of the other thigh; whereto the liar of a Venetian answered without hesitation, 'Sir, cranes have but one thigh and one leg.' 'What a devil?' cried Currado in a rage. 'They have but one thigh and one leg? Have I never seen a crane before?' 'Sir,' replied Chichibio, 'it is as I tell you, and whenas it pleaseth you, I will cause you see it in the quick.' Currado, out of regard for the strangers he had with him, chose not to make more words of the matter, but said, 'Since thou sayst thou wilt cause me see it in the quick, a thing I never yet saw or heard tell of, I desire to see it to-morrow morning, in which case I shall be content; but I swear to thee, by Christ His body, that, an it be otherwise, I will have thee served on such wise that thou shalt still have cause to remember my name to thy sorrow so long as thou livest.' There was an end of the talk for that night; but, next morning, as soon as it was day, Currado, whose anger was nothing abated for sleep, arose, still full of wrath, and bade bring the horses; then, mounting Chichibio upon a rouncey, he carried him off towards a watercourse, on whose banks cranes were still to be seen at break of day, saying, 'We shall soon see who lied yestereve, thou or I.'

• From Girls & Sex (2016)

  With that, sex education, previously relegated to innocuous “Family Life” classes, where it was embedded in lessons on successful marriage, became a battleground: a vector for right-wing trepidation about the erosion of traditional matrimony, the rise of women’s rights, the growing acceptance of homosexuality, even the potential dismantling of gender itself. In 1981, partly as a reward for the New Right’s support of his presidential bid, Ronald Reagan signed what was nicknamed “the chastity law,” the first legislation requiring that federally funded sex education, as its sole purpose, teach “the social, psychological and health gains to be realized by abstaining from sexual activity.” Reagan, however, allocated only $4 million a year to the bill; it wasn’t until the Clinton administration—oh, the irony!—that annual funding for abstinence education shot up to $60 million, a slab of pork tucked into the 1996 Welfare Reform Act. As the money grew, the message it promoted became even more restrictive: to get the cash, public schools would now have to teach that marriage was the only acceptable sphere for physical relations, and that sex outside of it at any age (including after divorce or widowhood) would lead to irreparable physical and emotional harm. Under George W. Bush, the funding for abstinence-until-marriage programs continued to rise, reaching, at its peak, $176 million a year. So it was that in 1988, when the AIDS epidemic was in full swing, only 2 percent of sex ed teachers taught abstinence as the best way to prevent pregnancy or disease, yet by 1999, 40 percent of those supposedly teaching comprehensive sex ed considered it the most important message they were trying to convey. By 2003, 30 percent of public school sex education classes provided no information whatsoever about condoms or other contraceptives (beyond their failure rates) and by 2005 over 80 percent of federally funded abstinence-only programs were found by a congressional report to be teaching blatantly inaccurate information, including such “facts” as that the Pill is only 20 percent effective in preventing pregnancy, that latex condoms cause cancer, that HIV can be transmitted through sweat or tears, and that half of homosexual teen boys already have the virus.

• From How to Deal with Angry People (2023)

  Let’s think about the situation itself separate from his thoughts about me. From his perspective, there was a tour I was supposed to lead and I wasn’t there to lead it. This immediately kicked off thoughts related to other-directed shoulds: “Ryan should have been here.”“This is his job.”“What’s he even doing right now?”He was also likely fixating on the consequences of there not being a tour guide, and maybe even catastrophizing those consequences (exaggerating how negative this situation really was). “We’re going to have to refund this group’s money.”“This is really embarrassing.”“I’m so busy and now I’m going to have to give this tour.”This appraisal is already likely to lead to anger. Anyone who experiences a situation like this and appraises it in this way is likely to get angry. But it’s made even worse when you factor in his perceptions of me. I was not very good at this job. I was a responsible employee in most ways – I got to work on time, did what was asked of me, worked well with our customers, but I just didn’t have many of the skills or background knowledge to be good at this job. I had almost no experience with tractors or engines before working there, and much of my day was spent driving them. Most of their tractors were pretty old and in disrepair too, so they would break down in various ways and I never knew what to do in those moments (nor could I anticipate the problems the way others could). What this meant for my boss is that I was constantly involved in problems (from his perspective, causing those problems). So when I wasn’t there to give the tour, he jumped to the conclusion that I was to blame. As we discussed earlier, this sort of misattribution of causation can often exacerbate our anger. To take it a step further, he went on to assume the cause of my not being there for the tour – that I didn’t have a watch and didn’t know what time it was.* In the end, he was wrong on both counts. I wasn’t to blame and I did know what time it was, but from his perspective these were the factors that had caused this situation (a situation he was defining as relatively catastrophic). Plus, there was some inflammatory labeling of me that likely took hold from him, as he was thinking I was “irresponsible,” “stupid,” or far worse. These labels we give people in those angering moments are important because once we label people, we start thinking of them in those ways.

• From The Decameron (1353)

  [Footnote 443: _Cattajo._ This word is usually translated Cathay, _i.e._ China; but _semble_ Boccaccio meant rather the Dalmatian province of Cattaro, which would better answer the description in the text, Nathan's estate being described as adjoining a highway leading from the Ponant (or Western shores of the Mediterranean) to the Levant (or Eastern shores), _e.g._ the road from Cattaro on the Adriatic to Salonica on the Ægean. Cathay (China) seems, from the circumstances of the case, out of the question, as is also the Italian town called Cattaio, near Padua.] [Footnote 444: _i.e._ to show the most extravagant hospitality.] It chanced one day that, as he abode all alone in the midcourt of his palace, there came in, by one of the gates, a poor woman, who sought of him an alms and had it; then, coming in again to him by the second, she had of him another alms, and so on for twelve times in succession; but, whenas she returned for the thirteenth time, he said to her, 'Good woman, thou art very diligent in this thine asking,' and natheless gave her an alms. The old crone, hearing these words, exclaimed, 'O liberality of Nathan, how marvellous art thou! For that, entering in by each of the two-and-thirty gates which his palace hath, and asking of him an alms, never, for all that he showed, was I recognized of him, and still I had it; whilst here, having as yet come in but at thirteen gates, I have been both recognized and chidden.' So saying, she went her ways and returned thither no more. Mithridanes, hearing the old woman's words, flamed up into a furious rage, as he who held that which he heard of Nathan's fame a diminishment of his own, and fell to saying, 'Alack, woe is me! When shall I attain to Nathan's liberality in great things, let alone overpass it, as I seek to do, seeing that I cannot approach him in the smallest? Verily, I weary myself in vain, an I remove him not from the earth; wherefore, since eld carrieth him not off, needs must I with mine own hands do it without delay.'

• From The Decameron (1353)

  Meanwhile Bruno and Buffalmacco, after laughing awhile with the keepers of the gate, proceeded with slow step to follow Calandrino afar off and presently coming to the door of his house, heard the cruel beating he was in act to give his wife; whereupon, making a show of having but then come back, they called Calandrino, who came to the window, all asweat and red with anger and vexation, and prayed them come up to him. Accordingly, they went up, making believe to be somewhat vexed, and seeing the room full of stones and the lady, all torn and dishevelled and black and blue in the face for bruises, weeping piteously in one corner of the room, whilst Calandrino sat in another, untrussed and panting like one forspent, eyed them awhile, then said, 'What is this, Calandrino? Art thou for building, that we see all these stones here? And Mistress Tessa, what aileth her? It seemeth thou hast beaten her. What is all this ado?' Calandrino, outwearied with the weight of the stones and the fury with which he had beaten his wife, no less than with chagrin for the luck which himseemed he had lost, could not muster breath to give them aught but broken words in reply; wherefore, as he delayed to answer, Buffalmacco went on, 'Harkye, Calandrino, whatever other cause for anger thou mightest have had, thou shouldst not have fooled us as thou hast done, in that, after thou hadst carried us off to seek with thee for the wonder-working stone, thou leftest us in the Mugnone, like a couple of gulls, and madest off home, without saying so much as God be with you or devil; the which we take exceeding ill; but assuredly this shall be the last trick thou shalt ever play us.'

• From Amplified Holy Bible (2015)

  11 Now these people were more noble and open-minded than those in Thessalonica, so they received the message [of salvation through faith in the Christ] with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. 12 As a result many of them became believers, together with a number of prominent Greek women and men. 13 But when the Jews of Thessalonica learned that the word of God [concerning eternal salvation through faith in Christ] had also been preached by Paul at Berea, they came there too, agitating and disturbing the crowds. 14 So at that time the brothers immediately sent Paul away to go as far as the sea; but Silas and Timothy remained there [at Berea]. 15 Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens; and [after] receiving instructions [from Paul] for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible, they left. Paul at Athens 16 Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was greatly angered when he saw that the city was full of idols. 17 So he had discussions in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and in the market place day after day with any who happened to be there. 18 And some of the b Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to engage in conversation with him. And some said, “What could this idle babbler [with his eclectic, scrap-heap learning] have in mind to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of strange deities”—because he was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. 19 They took him and brought him to the c Areopagus (Hill of Ares, the Greek god of war), saying, “May we know what this [strange] new teaching is which you are proclaiming? 20 “For you are bringing some startling and strange things to our ears; so we want to know what they mean.” 21 (Now all the Athenians and the foreigners visiting there used to spend their [leisure] time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new.) Sermon on Mars Hill 22 So Paul, standing in the center of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I observe [with every turn I make throughout the city] that you are very religious and devout in all respects. 23 “Now as I was going along and carefully looking at your objects of worship, I came to an altar with this inscription: ‘TO AN d UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore what you already worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. 24 “The God who created the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; 25 nor is He e served by human hands, as though He needed anything, because it is He who gives to all [people] life and breath and all things.

• From Another Country (1962)

  “What does she think she’s doing?” Ida asked. She and Vivaldo were walking toward the theater through the July streets. “She’s trying to live,” said Vivaldo, mildly. “Oh, shit, baby, Cass is a grown woman with two kids. What about those kids? Eric’s not the fatherly type, at least not with boys that age.” “What a filthy little moralist you are. What Cass does with Cass’s life is her business. Not yours. Maybe she knows more about those kids than you do; maybe she’s trying to live the way she thinks she ought to live so that they won’t be afraid to do it when their time comes.” He felt himself beginning to be angry. “And you don’t know enough about Eric to talk about him that way.” “Those kids are going to hate her before it’s over, believe me. And don’t tell me I don’t know about Eric; I knew all about him the minute I laid eyes on him.” “You knew what you’d heard. And you’d never heard that he was going to have an affair with Cass. So you’re bugged.” “Eric may have you fooled, and he may have Cass fooled—of course, I think she’s just fooling herself—but I’m not fooled. You’ll see.” “You’re not a singer at all, you’re a fortune-teller. We should get you some big brass earrings and a vivid turban and set you up in business.” “Laugh, clown,” she said. “Well, what do you care? If he wants to make it with her and she wants to make it with him, what do we care?” “Don’t you care? Richard’s your friend.” “Cass is more my friend than Richard,” he said. “She can’t realize what she’s doing. She’s got a good man and he’s really starting to get someplace, and she can’t find anything better to do than start screwing some poor-white faggot from Alabama. I swear, I don’t understand white folks worth a damn.” “Eric’s not poor-white; his family’s very well off,” he said, beginning to sweat with more than the heat, wishing her voice would cease. “Well, I hope they haven’t disowned him. Do you think Eric’s ever going to make it as an actor?” “I don’t see what that has to do with anything. But, yes, I do, he’s a very good actor.” “He’s getting kind of old to be so unknown. What was he doing in Paris all that time?” “I don’t know, baby, but I hope he was having a ball. You know? Like whatever he digs most, that’s what I hope he was doing.” “Well,” she said, “that isn’t what he’s doing now.” He sighed, telling himself to drop the subject or change it. But he said, “I just don’t see why it should matter to you, that’s all. So he likes a roll in the hay with a man. So what?” “He wanted a roll in the hay with my brother, too,” she said. “He wanted to make him as sick as he is.”

• From The Decameron (1353)

  As soon as the smoke was somewhat spent, Ercolano looked into the cupboard and there espied him who had sneezed and who was yet in act to sneeze, for that the fumes of the sulphur constrained him thereto, and indeed they had by this time so straitened his breast that, had he abidden a while longer, he had never sneezed nor done aught else again. Ercolano, seeing him, cried out, "Now, wife, I see why, whenas we came hither awhile ago, we were kept so long at the door, without its being opened to us; but may I never again have aught that shall please me, an I pay thee not for this!" The lady, hearing this and seeing that her sin was discovered, stayed not to make any excuse, but started up from table and made off I know not whither. Ercolano, without remarking his wife's flight, again and again bade him who sneezed come forth; but the latter, who was now at the last gasp, offered not to stir, for all that he could say; whereupon, taking him by one foot, he haled him forth of his hiding-place and ran for a knife to kill him; but I, fearing the police on mine own account, arose and suffered him not to slay him or do him any hurt; nay, crying out and defending him, I gave the alarm to certain of the neighbours, who ran thither and taking the now half-dead youth, carried him forth the house I know not whither. Wherefore, our supper being disturbed by these things, I have not only not despatched it, nay, I have, as I said, not even tasted it.'

• From How to Deal with Angry People (2023)

  immediately via app or email alerts. Even if you choose to avoid that sort of technology, the omnipresence of news media means we undoubtedly hear about it more often via those friends, co-workers, and family who are heavily connected. Like social media, this ends up impacting our emotional life because this added news content is not emotionally neutral. 63 * It’s yet another opportunity to feel. New Venues and New Languages Electronic forms of communication like texting, email, and social media have given people another place and even another language to express their feelings. When people are angry at someone, they can communicate that anger in ways that were never possible before. They can fire off an angry email to the person that wronged them, tweet directly at the company they are angry at, or just post on Facebook for their friends to see. This is a fundamentally different way to express anger, which has a significant impact on you and the world around you. When you add that some of these venues are anonymous or at least feel anonymous to the user, they quickly become a place for rage to spread. It’s not just the change of venue for angry expressions that is offered by the internet – technology has given us new languages to express anger. What might have started with rudimentary emoticons such as :-) has evolved into much more complicated but fascinating expressions. Emojis, hashtags, memes, and GIFs are all used to share anger in humorous and not humorous ways. Meanwhile, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and other video/photo-sharing sites are full of videos of people ranting about things that make them mad. The ability to easily make and edit a video to express anger is wildly different from what people used to do when angry. Plus, social media has opened the door to more passive- aggressive expressions of anger. Angry people use social media to spread rumors or even to shame and embarrass people publicly.* Altering the Pre-Provocation Mood What we’re doing in a given moment online alters our mood in such a way that it

• From Another Country (1962)

  But he was also aware that they were beginning to attract attention, and he glanced at the windows where the rain streamed down, saying to himself. Okay, Rufus, behave yourself. And he leaned back in the booth, where he sat facing Jane and Vivaldo. He had reached her, and she struck back with the only weapon she had, a shapeless instrument which might once have been fury. “It doesn’t smell any worse in here than it does where you come from, baby.” Vivaldo and Rufus looked at each other. Vivaldo’s lips turned white. He said, “You say another word, baby, and I’m going to knock your teeth, both of them, right down your throat.” This profoundly delighted her. She became Bette Davis at once, and shouted at the top of her voice, “Are you threatening me?” Everyone turned to look at them. “Oh, shit,” said Rufus, “let’s go.” “Yes,” said Vivaldo, “let’s get out of here.” He looked at Jane. “Move. You filthy bitch.” And now she was contrite. She leaned forward and grabbed Rufus’ hand. “I didn’t mean it the way it sounded.” He tried to pull his hand away; she held on. He relaxed, not wanting to seem to struggle with her. Now she was being Joan Fontaine. “Please, you must believe me, Rufus!”

• From Amplified Holy Bible (2015)

  [Zech 3:1–10 ; Rom 8:33 , 34 ] 12 “Therefore rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them [in the presence of God]. Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you in great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time [remaining]!” [Is 44:23 ; 49:13 ] 13 And when the dragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he persecuted the woman who had given birth to the male Child . 14 But the two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, so that she could fly into the wilderness to her place, where she was nourished for a time and times and half a time (three and one-half years), away from the presence of the serpent (Satan). [Ex 19:4 ; Deut 32:10 , 11 ; Is 40:31 ; Dan 7:25 ; 12:7 ] 15 And the serpent hurled water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, so that he might cause her to be swept away with the flood. 16 But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the river which the dragon had hurled out of his mouth. [Ex 15:12 ] 17 So the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went off to wage war on the rest of her children (seed), those who keep and obey the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus [holding firmly to it and bearing witness to Him]. Revelation 13 The Beast from the Sea 1 A ND THE a dragon (Satan) stood on the sandy shore of the sea. [Dan 7:7 ] T hen I saw a [vicious] beast coming up out of the sea with ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten royal b crowns (diadems), and on his heads were blasphemous names. 2 And the beast that I saw resembled a c leopard, but his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth was like that of a lion. And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority. 3 I saw one of his heads which seemed to have a fatal wound, but his fatal wound was healed; and the entire earth followed after the beast in amazement. 4 They fell down and worshiped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast; they also worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like (as great as) the beast, and who is able to wage war against him?” 5 And the beast was given a mouth (the power of speech), uttering great things and arrogant and blasphemous words, and he was given freedom and authority to act and to do as he pleased for d forty-two months (three and a half years).

• From How to Deal with Angry People (2023)

  One of the interesting things about online communication is how often people go out of their way to explicitly communicate their emotions (without just stating them). They feel the need to use ALL CAPS, angry faces, extra exclamation points, bold text, or a variety of other mechanisms to indicate that they are angry. Those approaches are not terribly compelling, though, if you’re actually trying to change a person’s mind or engage in a healthy conversation about something. They likely come across as superfluous and weaken the broader point you’re trying to make. There’s nothing wrong with telling someone you’re angry in an email, but it’s likely better to just say you are angry without the need to express it via a frowny face. It’s not that you should never use emoticons or emojis when you communicate. There’s a time and place for them, particularly the positive ones. Emoticons and emojis can be used to lighten mood and to signal something emotional that is unclear from the text.* A smiley face, for instance, might make it clear something was a joke or was intended to be lighthearted (for example, “That’s assuming I don’t quit my job before then. :)”). A sad face might signal that you are feeling particularly down about something (“I can’t go out tonight because I have an early morning meeting. :( ”). But they can also be used as a sort of passive-aggressive form of online communication where the author intends or pretends to lighten an aggressive comment with a smiley face or LOL (“Hopefully, you’ll be on time for once. LOL”). Ultimately, be thoughtful about what emotions you try to express this way and how you choose to express them. Have Someone Read Your Response Before You Send/Post It Emotionality, especially anger, can often act as a lens by which people interpret the things they read. That means that the person you are responding to might misunderstand the intent of what you wrote because they were angry at the time they read it. It is similarly possible that your own emotionality, in response to their anger, might influence what you wrote in ways you don’t realize. For both of these reasons, it’s smart to have someone read what you wrote before you send it or post it. Getting another pair of fresh eyes on it prior to sending it can

• From Henry Miller on Writing (1964)

  Especially, need I add, the sexual eruptions. They represent my endeavor, successful or not, to portray the whole man. It is my contention, of course, that modern literature suffers precisely because, for one reason or another, writers in general now abstain from giving us man in all the heights and depths of his being. And the public, long inured to this prescribed sort of amputation, no longer deeply cares. Indeed, there is little revolt of any sort left in modern man. He no longer acts, he reacts. He is the victim who at long last has been caught in his own trap. What I am trying to say by all this is that the question to what extent a writer may be permitted to speak freely and naturally—on any question, any subject—is only part of a greater question, in a word: what is freedom ? Men will fight and die, apparently, for greater political or economic freedom, perhaps even for religious freedom, but when it comes to education—what and how our children should be taught—or the right to speak and act freely in the domain of sex, or even to write about sex openly, honestly, unashamedly, they display striking little courage. So it seems to me, at any rate. Yet sex and education are of cardinal importance in the creation of any social fabric. Indeed, there are many today who are convinced that most of our woes stem from our reluctance or our inability to cope with these fundamental issues. To get back to the core of the matter…. I repeat that, in writing The Rosy Crucifixion , I had but one thought in mind-to tell the story of the crucial years which marked a turning point in my life, and to relate my experiences (good and bad) as honestly and as faithfully as possible. In short, to expose the whole man and thus, obliquely, the society which fostered him. It therefore seems somewhat ridiculous to be asked, as I often am, whether I could not have written otherwise, meaning—could I not have rendered my words and thoughts more palatable, less offensive to public taste. (Who are the arbiters of taste, by the way?) This same sort of question has been put to every innovator throughout the ages. I should like to add, moreover, that I very much question the wisdom, the purity and the understanding of the so-called guardians of morality who so brashly assume responsibility for the mental, moral and spiritual health of the dear public. What tests have they undergone to earn the right to judge and condemn those who do not subscribe to their view of life? No, the real protectors, not of the “public” but of humanity, are never moralists but rather men of spirit. These men I revere. They do not talk good and evil, they talk God. They do not judge, punish and condemn; they show compassion. And what is compassion if not understanding tempered by love?

• From The Decameron (1353)

  Now I laugh for that I mind me of the simplicity of Bernabo, who was fool enough to lay five thousand florins to one that I would not bring his wife to do my pleasure; the which I did and won the wager; whereupon he, who should rather have punished himself for his stupidity than her for doing that which all women do, returned from Paris to Genoa and there, by what I have since heard, caused her put to death.' Sicurano, hearing this, understood forthwith what was the cause of Bernabo's anger against his wife[134] and manifestly perceiving this fellow to have been the occasion of all her ills, determined not to let him go unpunished therefor. Accordingly he feigned to be greatly diverted with the story and artfully clapped up a strait acquaintance with him, insomuch that, the fair being ended, Ambrogiuolo, at his instance, accompanied him, with all his good, to Alexandria. Here Sicurano let build him a warehouse and lodged in his hands store of his own monies; and Ambrogiuolo, foreseeing great advantage to himself, willingly took up his abode there. Meanwhile, Sicurano, careful to make Bernabo clear of his[135] innocence, rested not till, by means of certain great Genoese merchants who were then in Alexandria, he had, on some plausible occasion of his[136] own devising, caused him come thither, where finding him in poor enough case, he had him privily entertained by a friend of his[137] against it should seem to him[138] time to do that which he purposed. Now he had already made Ambrogiuolo recount his story before the Soldan for the latter's diversion; but seeing Bernabo there and thinking there was no need to use farther delay in the matter, he took occasion to procure the Soldan to have Ambrogiuolo and Bernabo brought before him and in the latter's presence, to extort from the former, by dint of severity, an it might not easily be done [by other means,] the truth of that whereof he vaunted himself concerning Bernabo's wife. Accordingly, they both being come, the Soldan, in the presence of many, with a stern countenance commanded Ambrogiuolo to tell the truth how he had won of Bernabo the five thousand gold florins; and Sicurano himself, in whom he most trusted, with a yet angrier aspect, threatened him with the most grievous torments, an he told it not; whereupon Ambrogiuolo, affrighted on one side and another and in a measure constrained, in the presence of Bernabo and many others, plainly related everything, even as it passed, expecting no worse punishment therefor than the restitution of the five thousand gold florins and of the stolen trinkets.

• From Who Wrote the Bible? Searching for Its Origins and Authors (2025)

  4. Exodus: From Egypt to Sinai 26 J’s story is different. God tells Moses to prepare the people because God will appear on Mount Sinai before them all in 3 days (19:11). Then, Moses and some other leaders go up the mountain and actually see God (24:10). God and Moses have a chat, but no laws are given. In fact, God just tells Moses to leave Sinai and head toward Canaan (33:1). But in this story, God is angry. Since they left Egypt, the Israelites have been complaining nonstop, demonstrating a basic lack of faith in God’s ability to provide for them. God has had enough. But Moses convinces God to stick around and even gets a view of Yahweh’s back. The J story culminates with God declaring his own character: “The Lord, a god compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in kindness and faithfulness ... yet he does not remit all punishment” (34:6–7). Finally, the P story is totally different. With the Israelites encamped at Sinai, God comes down on the mountain, shrouded in a cloud for 6 days and calling to Moses on day 7. Moses goes up, and God talks to him for all of Exodus 25 to 31. God doesn’t give any laws. Instead, he provides Moses with a blueprint for the Tabernacle. Each of these stories speaks to different aspects of God’s relationship to Israel. E emphasizes the prophetic aspect and Israel’s obligation to listen when the prophets speak. J emphasizes God’s twin aspects of compassion and wrath. And P emphasizes God’s dwelling in the midst of Israel. Reading Baden, Joel. The Book of Exodus: A Biography. Princeton University Press, 2019. Greenberg, Moshe. Understanding Exodus. Cascade, 2013. 27 5 Leviticus and the Priestly Writings L eviticus belongs to the Priestly story, in which it is placed just after the construction of the Tabernacle— the most important thing that’s ever happened in Israelite history, at least in the Priestly world. The Tabernacle is the dwelling place of God, complete with a table, a lamp, and a seat. God will dwell in this structure, in the midst of Israel, now and forever. Exactly a year after the Exodus, the Tabernacle is finally finished (Exod. 40:17). And, as promised, God takes up residence there. Now, all communication between God and Moses will take place from the Tabernacle. According to P’s internal calendar, the giving of Leviticus’s laws takes a month and 20 days— but it occupies an entire book, which you will explore in this lecture.

• From Amplified Holy Bible (2015)

  31 “When you built your shrine altar for prostitution at the beginning of every street and made your high place in every public square, you were not like a prostitute because you refused payment. 32 “You adulterous wife, who welcomes and receives strangers instead of her husband! 33 “Men give gifts to all prostitutes, but you give your gifts to all your lovers, bribing the pagan nations to come to you [as allies] from every direction for your obscene immoralities. 34 “And you are different from other [unfaithful] women in your promiscuity, in that no one follows you to lure you into prostitution, and because you give money and no money is given you; in this way you are different.” 35 Therefore, O prostitute [Israel], hear the word of the LORD . 36 Thus says the Lord GOD , “Because your lewdness was poured out and your nakedness uncovered through your obscene immoralities with your lovers (pagan allies), and with all your [repulsive] idols, and because of the blood of your sons that you gave to them, 37 therefore, listen, I will gather all your lovers (pagan allies) with whom you took pleasure, and all those whom you loved with all those whom you hated; I will even gather them against you from every direction and will expose your nakedness to them that they may see all your nakedness [making you, Israel, an object of loathing and of mockery, a spectacle among the nations]. 38 “And I [the Lord GOD ] will judge you like women who commit adultery or shed blood are judged; and I will bring on you the blood of wrath and jealousy. [Num 5:18 ] 39 “I will also hand you over to your lovers, and they will tear down your shrines, demolish your high places, strip you of your clothing, take away your jewels, and they will leave you naked and bare. 40 “They will also incite a crowd against you and they will stone you and slaughter you with their swords. 41 “They will burn down your houses with fire and execute judgments on you in the sight of many women (Gentile nations). Then I will make you cease your prostitution, and you will no longer hire your lovers. 42 “So I will calm My wrath toward you and My jealousy [resulting from being denied what is rightfully and uniquely mine] will turn away from you; I will be pacified and no longer angry. 43 “Because you have not remembered the days of your youth but have enraged Me with all these things, therefore, I in turn will bring your conduct down on your own head,” says the Lord GOD , “so that you will not commit this lewdness on top of all your other repulsive acts. 44 “Behold, everyone who uses proverbs will use this proverb against you: ‘Like mother, like daughter.’ 45 “You are the daughter of your mother, who loathed her husband and her children.

• From How to Deal with Angry People (2023)

  As I’ve been discussing the factors that contribute to the experiences and expressions of angry people, I’ve not yet gotten to what I believe is the most important part: the worldview of the angry person. Because despite these genetic, neurological, developmental, and environmental contributions, the best predictor of whether or not someone is angry is their outlook. How they see the world, how they view other people, and how they interpret the circumstances right in front of them matter most. One of the things we know is that some people will habitually and consistently look at those circumstances in a way that makes them angry. * I do think this study is fascinating and it’s informed a lot of my work. That said, I probably wouldn’t have called the positive condition “euphoric.” Maybe... “mildly upbeat?” † Sounds just like euphoria, doesn’t it? * The “performative” nature of their anger as Sarah described it sure makes it seem like they are intentionally playing the stooge here. * Remember that anger is just the feeling and not the action. Someone can be angry at a protest without being aggressive or violent. In fact, if they are at a protest, they are probably angry about something. † We could really go down a rabbit hole here depending on how we define violence. Those anti-ACA protesters at the event that Reichert was at were attempting to prevent meaningful healthcare reform in the United States. Millions of Americans die every year from inadequate health coverage, so though they likely didn’t think about it this way, they were advocating for the deaths of millions. Is that violence? CHAPTER 5 THE WORLDVIEWS OF ANGRY PEOPLE Reasoning on the Basis of False Assumptions You can learn a lot about a person’s belief system simply by listening to the statements they make when they are angry, sad, or scared. Moments of distress often bring out these quick, automatic statements that might reveal how they see themselves, how they see others, and how they perceive their own ability to cope. For instance, an angry person might use phrases like: People should just... They did that because... This happens every time... Well, now everything is ruined... Phrases like this are what Dr. Aaron Beck, a brilliant and prolific psychiatrist, author, and scholar, described as automatic thoughts, and he believed that they offered an important window into how people view themselves and others. He also saw these thoughts as evidence of what causes most psychological distress. In fact, in 1986 he said: “Most psychological problems center on incorrectly appraising life’s stresses, reasoning on the basis of false assumptions and jumping to self-defeating conclusions.” 46 It’s difficult to truly put into words how influential Dr. Beck was in the fields of psychology and psychiatry. It wasn’t just that he was prolific, having published more than 20 books, countless journal articles and book chapters, as well as quite a few psychological tests. It was that he paved the way for a new