# What anger is

Anger is a secondary [emotion](mind-feelings.md), meaning it derived from a primary emotion and then permuted with new information.

In particular, anger is always driven by a [perceived](image.md) sense of [injustice](morality-justice.md), which requires two beliefs at once:

1. Belief of [loss](hardship.md) or perceived loss.
2. A belief that the loss was unjust.
3. Belief that [action](people-decisions.md) can be taken that will resolve the injustice.

Or, to put it more simply, all anger can be articulated by the following statement:

- "I feel (non-joy emotion)...and that's not fair!"

The basis of our anger, therefore, can come from many domains:

- We [fear](mind-feelings-fear.md) losing [power](power.md) that we [believe](understanding-certainty.md) we are entitled to.
- We fear not having enough power to accomplish our [desires](purpose.md).
- We feel [sad](mind-feelings-sadness.md) about [a loss](hardship.md) that we believe shouldn't have happened.
- We were [surprised](mind-feelings-surprise.md), and felt afraid from it.
- We are [disgusted](mind-feelings-disgust.md) at something, and believe we should [take action about it](results.md).

Generally, anger is a catch-all feeling when we don't understand how to feel otherwise.

Anger is *very* useful to get things done, but it ruins our finesse. The only times anger is justified are against objects that can withstand it (e.g., [lifting weights](body-3_exercise.md)) or against people who are performing [evil](morality-evil.md). Otherwise, we must instead acknowledge the [fears](mind-feelings-fear.md) that drive that anger.

"Letting off steam" is simply adding anger onto anger, and doesn't work to resolve anything, even while it gives the [illusion](image.md) of [creating results](results.md).

## Chronic anger

If anger persists, it develops the secondary feeling of bitterness as [purposes](purpose.md) demonstrate they can't be performed. The only way to resolve bitterness is through [release](mind-feelings-happiness-stress.md) of whatever that person believes they can [control](purpose.md).