As a rule, I'm not a big fan of anger. Generally speaking, I don't consider it to be a particularly valuable emotion most of the time. It's more often than not associated with violence, insecurity, embarrassment, fear, resentment, selfishness, and jealousy than it is with anything particularly positive. All the bad stuff.

Road-rage, ugly parent syndrome (crazy parents watching their kids 'play' sport), domestic violence, street gangs, inter-racial hatred, murder, war, terrorism - destructive anger pervades every part of our society and culture and destroys happiness, hope, harmony, relationships, business partnerships, families, lives and a bunch more.

Excessive, consistent anger makes people sick - physically sick. Take a good look at someone who is always angry. They will usually look physically unwell. Unfortunately, they don't seem to learn. Angry people are ugly. Angry people are socially repugnant.

However, (you knew that was coming right?) anger can be both destructive and productive. Sometimes a little anger is not only understandable, it's also appropriate, justified, and valuable. Sometimes a little well-placed anger is what's needed to most effectively deal with a particular situation or person. Sometimes a little righteous anger (controlled, appropriate anger - not some out of control, senseless, emotional, violent outburst or reaction) is just what the doctor ordered.

One of the problems with some Personal Development types like me is that on some level we teach that we should always be in complete control of our emotions, the model of discipline and self-control (possible if you're an android, but reasonably tough if you have a heart beat). At the same time, some of us embrace an erroneous philosophy that ever getting angry is some kind of sign of dysfunction or some kind of major transgression for anyone working at being their best. It's possibly a sign of being normal! (I'm not talking about excessive, constant anger here).

The trouble with people who never get angry about anything is that they are also often the ones who never get particularly passionate, focused, committed or pro-active about anything. These are the people who never seem to get much done and who always seem to be compromising themselves and their dreams.

The other day I was talking to a girl who hates pretty much most of her life situation (that's the very brief story). She hates her job. It's unfulfilling, boring, and repetitious. She hates how people treat her at work. She doesn't want to make enemies and wants to 'stay below the radar', so she says nothing. She hates how her father tries to control her. She's in her 30's. She hates how she looks. She feels sorry for herself (a very valuable mindset). She hates the frustration of being able to identify, but seemingly not being able to do anything about her situation. She is very woe-is-me, wishy-washy, and apathetic. She has almost thrown in the towel (emotionally). At the same time, she is gorgeous (inside and out), talented, smart, and creative. She is also paralysed by fear - fear of fifty different things, which I can't explore now.