From a WoW forum:
Original post: "So many trolls be trolling....thugs be thugging....haters be hating.... I love everyone on this server Spread the love."
Reply post: "Homo."
Sarcasm aside, there is clearly much anger and hate in the world. It's almost as if the robustness of anger and hate is making us desensitized to both. So much contributes to this anger and hate (e.g., never ending wars, disagreements in the Middle East, discrimination, wealth redistribution, destruction of civil rights, torture). But are there deeper, underlying causes?
In this video, Mike George makes the argument that our anger is increasing because our expectations are increasing but not being fulfilled. He also seems to suggest that our increasing anger is a result of jealousy - seeing others having their expectations fulfilled while yours aren't.
We live in a period now where we have so much access to information (e.g., through the Web, through TV, through newspapers) and are able to see so many examples of people getting what they want and having their expectations met while we continue to struggle. And this leads us to want more and to expect more. When you get what you want, then you are happy and content with yourself.
He thinks another contributing factor is speed that is increased through technology. We expect more faster. And when we don't get what we want quickly, we get frustrated and that frustration breeds anger.
He also thinks that some people have an emotional addiction to being angry because the anger releases the chemicals adrenaline and cortisol in our bodies. He thinks they are looking to create an experience that makes them angry to gain the benefits of these chemical releases, almost as if a drug addict needs a "fix."
Do you feel your irritation, anger, or hatred is growing as the days pass? Who or what is the target of these feelings? Do you think it's good to sometimes get angry? Is it your responsibility to temper your anger? Do you go looking for reasons to be angry? Is being angry an emotional hit for you? Should we be trying to free ourselves of anger by getting rid of our wants, desires, and expectations?
WHY is there so much ANGER in the WORLD?
DISCUSS!
Original posting by Braincrave Second Life staff on Jun 3, 2011 at http://www.braincrave.com/viewblog.php?id=570
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We are a community of men and women who seek beauty and stimulation through our minds. We find ideas, education, and self-improvement sexy. We think intelligence is hot. But Braincrave is more than brains and I.Q. alone. We are curious. We have common sense. We value and offer wisdom. We experiment. We have great imaginations. We devour literacy. We are intellectually honest. We support and encourage each other to be better.
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Sep, 2017 update: Although Braincrave resulted in two confirmed marriages, the venture didn't meet financial targets. Rather than updating our outdated code base, we've removed all previous dating profiles and retained the articles that continue to generate interest. Moving to valME.io's platform supports dating profiles (which you are welcome to post) but won't allow typical date-matching functionality (e.g., location proximity, attribute similarity).
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