“Anger Is a Brief Madness”: The Stoics Knew How to Tame It

We get angry often—so often, in fact, that hardly a day goes by without a mild or intense bout of anger. That’s why it’s so important to know how to deal with this destructive emotion, which, despite claims about its motivating power, does us no real good. Massimo Pigliucci, an American professor of philosophy at City College of New York and author of books on Stoic philosophy, draws on Seneca’s wisdom to share his thoughts on managing anger and even offers his own modern Stoic guide.

People get angry for all sorts of reasons: from trivial ones (someone cut me off on the highway) to truly serious ones (people are still dying in Syria and no one is doing anything about it). But most of the time, anger arises from mundane causes. That’s why the American Psychological Association’s website has a section dedicated to anger management. Interestingly, it closely resembles one of the oldest treatises on the subject—On Anger, written by the Stoic philosopher Lucius Annaeus Seneca in the first century AD.

Seneca believed that anger is a brief madness, and that even when it seems justified, we should not act on it. As he wrote, “…other vices affect our decisions, but anger affects our sanity: mild fits of anger grow unnoticed, but the human mind plunges into anger suddenly… Its intensity is in no way restrained by its origin: it rises to the greatest heights from the most trivial beginnings.”

The perfect modern environment for anger management is the internet. If you have a Twitter or Facebook account, or if you write, read, or comment on blogs, you know what I mean. Heck, anger on Twitter was taken to a new level (or lowered, depending on your point of view) by the current U.S. president, Donald Trump.

I also write quite a bit on online forums. It’s part of my job as an educator and, I believe, my duty as a member of society. The conversations I have with people from all over the world are usually cordial and mutually enlightening, but sometimes they take a turn. For example, a well-known author with whom I recently disagreed on a technical issue immediately declared that I was talking utter nonsense. Ouch! How can you not take offense at such words, especially when they come not from an anonymous troll but from a famous guy with over 200k followers?

Here’s how: by following the advice of Epictetus, another Stoic philosopher from the second century, a former slave who became a teacher. Epictetus taught his students:

“Remember, we are the ones who suffer, we are the ones who create difficulties for ourselves because of our own judgments. What does it mean to be insulted? Stand by a stone and insult it—will you achieve anything? If someone responds to an insult like an unshakable stone, what does the insulter gain from their abuse?”

Exactly. Of course, learning to ignore insults like a stone takes time and practice, but I seem to be getting better at it. So what did I do in response to the aforementioned pompous speech? I acted like a stone. I simply ignored the hurtful words and focused on replying to others, trying to engage them in constructive conversation. As I was later told, the famous writer got really angry, while I remained calm.

Some people say that anger is the right response to certain situations, such as injustice, and that—in moderation—anger can be a driving force for action. But Seneca would reply that talking about moderate anger is like talking about flying pigs—such things simply don’t exist in the universe. As for motivation, the Stoic approach is that we are moved to act by positive emotions—outrage at injustice or a desire to make the world better. Anger simply isn’t needed and, in fact, only gets in the way.

Philosopher Martha Nussbaum, in her essay for Aeon, illustrated the uselessness of anger with the example of Nelson Mandela. When the apartheid government in South Africa sent Mandela to prison for 27 years, he was very, very angry—and with good reason, as a gross injustice had been committed against him personally and his people as a whole. Nevertheless, at some point Mandela realized that being angry and thinking of his political opponents as inhuman monsters was pointless. He understood that he needed to overcome destructive emotions and reach out to the other side, to earn their trust, if not their friendship. Mandela befriended his guards, and in the end, his approach paid off: he witnessed one of those rare peaceful transitions to a better society.

Interestingly, the turning point in Mandela’s outlook came when a fellow prisoner smuggled in a copy of Meditations—the book by Marcus Aurelius, another Stoic philosopher. In it, Marcus wrote that if people do wrong, you should “teach them—and show them this without anger.” Mandela managed to follow Marcus Aurelius’s advice effectively.

My Modern Stoic Guide to Managing Anger (Inspired by Seneca)

1. Practice premeditation: Think about which situations trigger your anger and decide in advance how you’ll handle them.
2. Notice and acknowledge anger as soon as you feel its symptoms. Don’t wait, or it will get out of control.
3. Whenever possible, interact with calm people. Avoid irritable or angry individuals. Remember, moods are contagious.
4. Play musical instruments or engage in any activity that relaxes you. In such a state, anger is less likely to arise.
5. Surround yourself with pleasant, non-irritating colors and tones. Managing your environment can greatly affect your mood.
6. Don’t get into discussions when you’re tired. In that state, you’re more prone to irritation, which can easily turn into anger.
7. Don’t start conversations when you’re thirsty or hungry—for the same reason as above.
8. Use self-deprecating humor. It’s our main weapon against the unpredictability of the universe and the predictable nastiness of some of our fellow humans.
9. Practice cognitive distancing—what Seneca calls “delaying” your response. For example, go for a walk or even to the restroom; this will help you cool down.
10. Change your body to change your mind. Consciously slow your pace, lower your voice, and adopt the demeanor of a calm person.

Above all, be forgiving toward others—this is the path to a better life. Seneca’s advice on anger has stood the test of time, and we would all do well to heed it.