Lots of anger at everything is good, as it fuels the fire for making a change. Till you notice that something is out of balance and needs to be fixed or can be made better, most of the changes in the world would not have taken place. After all, most of the inventions have taken place for the desire for making things better or finding better ways to do things. Ditto for Revolutions across the world be it the French revolution, the Indian Independence from British rule or the more recent Arab Spring. Although anger is like rocket fuel and propels the rocket of change into space, what happens after that?
Incessant anger without any goal is useless and doesn’t serve any purpose except making you sick. I have spent many weekends avoiding a few ‘activist friends’ of mine who claim to be making a change. At first, the conversation with them discussing everything that is wrong with the legal system, the country’s politicians and the world really charges you up and makes you sit up and think. You imagine yourself bringing about countless changes and making the world a better place and maybe even a perfect place to live in. You start a mental checklist of things that can be changed or eliminated and where you can make a contribution however big or little to make the world a better place. Top of the checklist is elimination of war, women empowerment, changes in the characters of politicians and you are still thinking of a few more, till you hear your activist friends ranting about the plight of malnourished babies and in the same breath about poor infrastructure and the lightbulb moment dawns.
They are not activists in the true sense of the word but only ‘ranters and indulgent indignators’, they are perpetually angry at everything and will hardly, if ever, go beyond that anger to actually accomplish anything. Of course, they are experts at championing causes but that’s where their expertise ends. They have all the know how in the world about what is wrong but seldom go beyond that and are frankly really depressing to be around with, after they get you thinking the first time round. They actually soak up of all your positive energy and are a constant dampener on any of your plans. I find them a constant setback to all your life’s little joys and larger plans. They hardly have anything positive to contribute to any actual change or with their negativity act as a deterrent to your genuine efforts. In fact, they spurn your effort,deeming it either too inconsequential or before congratulating you, they have already drawn your attention to a bigger cause that ‘demands’ immediate change. They are experts at being the pin that pricks your balloon and now I view them with indulgent zero tolerance, as I would a mother-in-law’s observations, about my character flaws versus her son’s perfection.
So you want to make a change and be a rainmaker? Stay away from the indignators because the only cause that they are committed to is ‘the indulgence of indignance’ and they excel in championing it.