Introduction
“Why we get mad — and why it’s healthy | Ryan Martin” is a TED-style talk by Ryan Martin, an anger researcher, focusing on the primary causes and effects of such emotions as malice, madness, rage, and insanity. Ryan Martin believes that anger involves various triggers and cognitive processes influencing interpretation and response to specific moments. Furthermore, the manifestation of wrath does not always have a negative connotation. Instead, it is a healthy reaction to external conditions, considering the clarification of human needs and ways to meet them. Accordingly, the speaker tells about these main aspects in his TED Talk. This paper aims to review, analyze, and discuss the critical points of the TED Talk by Ryan Martin.
Key Concepts from the TED Talk
The main ideas presented in the TED Talk are based on the concept that anger is a healthy response of the human body to a particular situation, the causes of which lie to a greater extent in human thinking and cognitive functions. Martin (2019, 1:40) begins his speech by asserting that a person’s irritation, rage, and resentment exist from birth to death. Being mad at someone is a natural reaction, both in the best and unpleasant moments, since “anger is a powerful and healthy force in your life; it’s good that you feel it” (Martin, 2019, 2:35).
People get angry and nervous when circumstances and problems of everyday life provoke them, feel the pre-anger state, or due to catastrophizing process (Martin, 2019, 5:00-8:26). It should be remembered that anger is what lives in everyone and what gave the ancestors an evolutionary advantage, warns of injustice and gives strength to resist this unfairness (Martin, 2019, 10:05-10:21). Therefore, anger should not be perceived as a problem because it is a motivator to act and confront existing issues and an essential and helpful tool in human life from biological and evolutionary perspectives that must be dealt with competently.
Insights Gained While Watching
As I watched the video, I learned a lot of valuable information about anger, its causes, and its significance. I realized that many people think of anger as a negative feeling that makes one say things that are not meant and may seem that anger is an unnatural distortion of a person’s identity, but this is not true (Martin, 2019, 2:12). On the contrary, anger is a perfectly natural emotion that warns when something violates the natural order of things according to which one thinks things should happen, and it literally drives one crazy. Therefore, now I know that sometimes it is necessary to be angry to take responsibility and restore the balance of right and wrong.
Agreement with the Speaker’s Perspective
Ryan Martin has accurately and thoroughly explained the characteristics of anger, and I agree with his main ideas. Anger is a fundamental element of human nature; if this emotion is inherent in a person, it exists for a reason and is primarily essential to human survival. For example, when I am outraged, I notice that this moment often manifests as an impulse to act, giving me the strength to get the desired result. It is evident that anger is not seen as a negative emotion but rather the opposite, as it allows one not only to “let off steam” but also to take active actions to achieve justice.
Real-Life Application of the Concepts
I could apply the information I received in real life in moments of anger and rage at someone. I would understand the source of the aggression, reflect on it, and try to channel my energy in a positive direction. For instance, it can annoy me sometimes when call center employees call me with some offers. However, I should be more sympathetic to such situations because this is their job, and what seems unfair to me is seen differently in other people’s eyes.
Exploration of Additional Information
I did some additional research on the topic and found the following data. The intensity with which a person reacts to a problem is individual, and personality, age, gender, and life experience, in particular, affect feelings of anger (Devlin, 2019). The ability to lose one’s temper is part of the instinct to fight threats or for a particular reward.
Anger often makes a person bolder and more confident, affecting group dynamics. Often, through this emotion, an individual creates a positive image of themself, for example, at a job interview. Moreover, it has been noted that men, in general, are more aggressive than women in the context of brain biology (Devlin, 2019). Kids additionally often show aggression, even in insignificant situations for adults.
A Question for Future Research
Does anger unleash human potential, and how does it affect our abilities?– is a question that would be interesting to answer in a study on the topic. Ryan Martin said in his speech that the manifestation of aggression serves as a tremendous motivator, gives strength and energy to act quickly and impetuously, and gives many ideas for implementing ways to solve problems. Accordingly, based on this information, clarifying in what context and to what extent anger increases creativity or improves cognitive abilities would be helpful.
Conclusion
In summary, it should be stated that the TED Talk by Ryan Martin is an informative, concise, and thoughtful speech on why people get mad and why it is considered normal. While watching the video, it was discovered that anger is not a “bad” emotion but an impulse and motivator that makes one act to create a better life. Anger lives inside everyone and helps define not only mistreatment but also individual values and beliefs. Usually, people get angry when they see that a situation or behavior goes against these matters. This reaction shows what people care about and allows them to stick to their chosen principles.
References
Devlin, H. (2019). Science of anger: how gender, age and personality shape this emotion. The Guardian. Web.
Martin, R. (2019). Why we get mad — and why it’s healthy | Ryan Martin [Video file]. Web.