Short fuse

Anger is one of the most furious emotions of the human body. And it has some pretty volatile first cousins -- namely rage, fury, wrath and temper

Short fuse

Anger is one of the most furious emotions of the human body. And it has some pretty volatile first cousinsu00a0-- namely rage, fury, wrath and temper.

A temper can often get one into troubleu00a0-- serious trouble. Rage can drive you nuts, fury can lead to irreversible damage and wrath can put you on a hospital bed with a blood pressure monitor. And anger is one emotion that we humans cannot avoid. Butu00a0 anger and its country cousins are not entirely bad for human civilisation. Sometimes being angry can actually benefit civil society.

Anger and its country cousins are not entirely bad for human civilisation. Sometimes, being angry can benefit a civil society

Over the years, there have been several examples of how anger can bring about a change in society. In recent times, Americans were angry and they brought about change by voting the country's first non-white president.

In Egypt, the youth was furious and toppled Hosni Mubarak. In Libya, the population raged through its cities and trampled upon Gaddafi.

Closer to home, Anna Hazare was angry at the government's version of the Lokpal Bill. He protested, and a million angry Indians joined him in the protest. The populace of the world's largest democracy is angry, no doubt about that. Tired of being treated as second-rate citizens, the aam aadmi is today standing on the streets of India screaming, shouting and venting their anger against the system, against corruption, against bad governance.

Scores of people bunked work, students discarded college lessons and walked with lit candles, mashaals and banners. That is anger right there. But will it bring about change?

That is a question that will be answered soon enough but the romance with anger will continue.

Remember how a tall and handsome Bollywood star became a national icon in the 80s, popularly known as the 'Angry Young Man'. Doesn't the cinema audiences just love it when the hero bashes up a dozen goons in the climax of a pot-boiler. Oppressed, fighting the odds and against the system, this angry protagonist breaks bones, and sets the cash registers ringing. Rage, my dear, sells at the Box Office.

A hard thump on the desk can get you all the attention you want and often get your work done too.
Let's face it, we are a country of hot-blooded, angry young men and women. And we love our rage.

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