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Quote of the Day: Outrage
Outrage is a substitute for religion: It convinces us that our existence has some kind of meaning or significance beyond itself, that is to say beyond the paltry flux of day-to-day existence, especially when that existence is a securely comfortable one. Therefore we go looking for things to be outraged about as anteaters look for ants. Of all emotions, outrage is not only one of the most pleasurable but also one of the most reliable.
— Theodore Dalrymple on outrage.
Filter the news through this quote.
Couldn’t have said it better myself.
Timely.
A great post, Seawriter. So true!
I need that reminder from time to time.
Prayer to the Lord for all I have right now.
All too true.
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On the other hand, outrage sustains a lot of people, even conservatives, and when your first priority is to not get outraged, your productivity can suffer. So there’s that.
Good point, Midge. I think that outrage does have its positive side. But if we hold on to it at an intense, fiery level, it will take us down.
I try to ration my outrage.
Why?
Seawriter
Oh, you know, dead bodies, swords in shards, lances broken. It just gets very expensive and messy.
So you ration your outrage, too! Wow–I didn’t know we had so many outrageous people around!
No, I just know Percival. I have none. You want to get kicked out of Eden? Because outrage is how you get kicked out of Eden.
{{Shudder}} . . and ultimately so nihilistic.
“Ye that Mitchell’s prayer have heard:
‘Send war in our time, o Lord!’
Know that when all words are said
And a man is fighting mad,
Something drops from eyes long blind,
He completes his partial mind.
For an instant stands at ease,
Laughs aloud, his heart at peace.
Even the wisest man grows tense
With some sort of violence
Before he can accomplish fate,
Know his work, or choose his mate.”
— W. B. Yeats (from memory)
If I were in Eden, that would be a consideration.
Barbara? Seems a little old for you.
The obverse of my outrage seems to be despair…not a good place for me to dwell.
This should be carved above the entrance to Twitter HQ in San Fran.
There’s also insomnia, tachycardia, hypertension, hyperglycemia, and hyperhyperism.