Knowledge is like a public coin-op washing machine and we all put bits in and take bits out.
When I get a nice bit I wear it for a while and then like to put it back in, so writing like this is one way of putting knowledge back where I believe it should belong - to everyone.
One concept I picked up is the proposition that anger is caused by desire.
Abuse yields anger because your desire to be respected has been ignored.
Someone who wastes your time yields irritation (a seed of anger) because your desire to control time cannot be realised.
A news story about autocratic governance yields anger because you have a sweeping desire for equality.
So if desire can lead to anger should we try and stamp out desire? Surely not, because desire is what makes things move. You think that a plane moves because of aerodynamics and whatever other laws of physics are involved, but planes move because people buy plane tickets because people desire to go places, to work and earn money, to have a better life, to see people they love, to know the world. Desire moves.
In trying to curb anger, which is essentially self-destructive, it might be better to ask if the things you get angry about are reasonable. If you get angry about things you cannot change, use reason to come to acceptance. If you get angry about things you can change, define the desire which fuels your anger and follow the desire to make change.
When I get a nice bit I wear it for a while and then like to put it back in, so writing like this is one way of putting knowledge back where I believe it should belong - to everyone.
One concept I picked up is the proposition that anger is caused by desire.
Abuse yields anger because your desire to be respected has been ignored.
Someone who wastes your time yields irritation (a seed of anger) because your desire to control time cannot be realised.
A news story about autocratic governance yields anger because you have a sweeping desire for equality.
So if desire can lead to anger should we try and stamp out desire? Surely not, because desire is what makes things move. You think that a plane moves because of aerodynamics and whatever other laws of physics are involved, but planes move because people buy plane tickets because people desire to go places, to work and earn money, to have a better life, to see people they love, to know the world. Desire moves.
In trying to curb anger, which is essentially self-destructive, it might be better to ask if the things you get angry about are reasonable. If you get angry about things you cannot change, use reason to come to acceptance. If you get angry about things you can change, define the desire which fuels your anger and follow the desire to make change.
Butter-side-down anger can be avoided by putting more bread in the toaster.
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