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Ep. 11: In Defense of Anger
We’re taught to calm down, let go, rise above — but what if anger isn’t something to suppress, but something to understand?
What if Anger is just a misunderstood friend?
In this episode, I explore what anger really is: where it comes from, what it’s trying to protect, and how it can become a quiet force for transformation instead of destruction.
Civil rights defenders and activists have long known the true power of anger — how it can turn pain into movement, despair into demands for a better world.
Together, we look at the fine line between anger born from care for the world and anger that only guards our own wounds.
A bit of philosophy, a bit of current affairs, and this core question at the center: what if feeling angry means we still believe things can change?
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Content mentioned:
1. Papers about anger being a driver of political activism
- Ost, David. 2004. Politics as the Mobilization of Anger.
- Jasper M. J. 1998. The Emotions of Protest: Affective and Reactive Emotions in and around Social Movements.
2. Frankl, V. 1946. Man's search for Meaning.
In this book, Viktor Frankl reflects on his experience as a Holocaust survivor and the lessons he learned about human resilience. He argues that life's primary drive is not pleasure or power, but suffering. Through his observations, he developed logotherapy, a psychotherapy centered on finding purpose through work, love or how one endures hardship.
3. Aurelius, M. 2002. Meditations
In Meditations, Marcus Aurelius reflects on anger as a destructive emotion that undermines rational judgment and harmony with nature. Through the Stoic lens, he urges self-discipline and perspective-taking—reminding himself that others act out of ignorance, not malice. By mastering one’s reactions rather than external events, Aurelius models how Stoicism transforms anger into understanding and inner peace.
PS: Unfortunately I couldn't find the instagram reel of the demonstration, but I hope I can trust you believe in my good faith <3
PPS: Apologies about the loud breathing noises, the cold in Berlin hasn't been kind to me :/
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By MarieWe’re taught to calm down, let go, rise above — but what if anger isn’t something to suppress, but something to understand?
What if Anger is just a misunderstood friend?
In this episode, I explore what anger really is: where it comes from, what it’s trying to protect, and how it can become a quiet force for transformation instead of destruction.
Civil rights defenders and activists have long known the true power of anger — how it can turn pain into movement, despair into demands for a better world.
Together, we look at the fine line between anger born from care for the world and anger that only guards our own wounds.
A bit of philosophy, a bit of current affairs, and this core question at the center: what if feeling angry means we still believe things can change?
---
Content mentioned:
1. Papers about anger being a driver of political activism
- Ost, David. 2004. Politics as the Mobilization of Anger.
- Jasper M. J. 1998. The Emotions of Protest: Affective and Reactive Emotions in and around Social Movements.
2. Frankl, V. 1946. Man's search for Meaning.
In this book, Viktor Frankl reflects on his experience as a Holocaust survivor and the lessons he learned about human resilience. He argues that life's primary drive is not pleasure or power, but suffering. Through his observations, he developed logotherapy, a psychotherapy centered on finding purpose through work, love or how one endures hardship.
3. Aurelius, M. 2002. Meditations
In Meditations, Marcus Aurelius reflects on anger as a destructive emotion that undermines rational judgment and harmony with nature. Through the Stoic lens, he urges self-discipline and perspective-taking—reminding himself that others act out of ignorance, not malice. By mastering one’s reactions rather than external events, Aurelius models how Stoicism transforms anger into understanding and inner peace.
PS: Unfortunately I couldn't find the instagram reel of the demonstration, but I hope I can trust you believe in my good faith <3
PPS: Apologies about the loud breathing noises, the cold in Berlin hasn't been kind to me :/