Kill One To Save One Thousand?

Anger can transform the tiniest sound into one which shatters a fragile mind into a million pieces in an instant.




For a person whose method of pushing emotions deeper within herself has become second nature, it is hard to recognise that anger is lurking beneath her smile. It comes as a surprise when suddenly the fury attempts to peel its way to the surface. It rarely makes it out completely but rather simmers and distorts its guardian's world into one which eventually becomes her reality.

Anger is not a picky emotion. Of course, it likes to win. But victory has many goals. Anger wants attention. It wants to harm. It is the keeper's decision whether to allow the rage to destroy herself or those around her. It is the keeper's role to choose the harmful method but the extent and degree of damage is in the hands of her wrath.

Ultimately the consequential injury is equal to or greater than the magnitude of the event which planted the seed of indignation. So in order for an understanding of the experience to be accomplished, the initial hurt needs to be examined.

It seems easier to favour passive anger over aggressive. After all, it's more private, more controlled. Despite anger still existing and therefore winning, the success is divided with the one who has managed to maintain in control. The two co-exist and this is acceptable for her.

From a health professional's point of view however, it is not healthy to allow passive anger to dominate. In addition it is also believed that aggressive anger is neither acceptable nor appropriate.

"Psychologists recommend a balanced approach to anger, which both controls the emotion and allows the emotion to express itself in a healthy way"
[Wikipedia]

In an ideal world it would be preferable to emit anger in a safe and controlled way, to let it out, to react appropriately and at the correct time. But what is appropriate?

Listening? - This is difficult when your mind is yelling at you. When each small sound whether it be speech, music or nature becomes pressurised. A whisper becomes a scream. A twig snapping beneath a boot becomes a deafening bomb. A soft sustained C# becomes a glass shattering wail.

Staying focused? - The mind has a knack of digging up every ounce of evidence to prove to you just how awful a person has been to you over the entire time since you first met. You get shot with an arrow and as you pull it from your wounded body a mass of betrayal, manipulation and lies pour out amongst the thick crimson blood. You become confused and bitter.

Agree? - To agree with something you disagree with is betraying yourself. It is lies which have infested you with outrage to begin with. Surely agreeing just to end the conflict has the potential to feed your contempt?

It seems that anger is an unavoidable aspect of each person's life. It is impossible to fathom that one can live a full life and not experience the rage which soars through the atmosphere searching for a victim to take hostage. Negotiating with our captor however is something we can regulate.

Anger can be extremely dangerous and in many cases can lead to death, either the hostage or the unsuspecting people within the vicinity of the many steps that tormented person will tread. This is Anger's primary goal, to kill, maim and create suffering. Ideally it aims to project that responsibility onto the person whom it has consumed. But when anger is that strong, is it possible for the destruction to be stopped? If it is not stopped, would many people die at the hands of the victim? If that one person destroyed the case which holds the wrath, might then dozens, hundereds, thousands of people be saved?

Would you kill one to save one thousand?