If you’re not angry about something right now . . . you need to be! And there are so many options from which to choose: (1) effects of the Covid-19 virus, (2) racial injustice, (3) conflicting advice about Covid-19, (4) politicians denigrating their opponents, (5) different names for Covid-19, (6) financial catastrophe looming on the horizon, (7) varying symptoms for Covid-19, (8) enormous forest fire damage out west, (9) conflicting reporting about Covid-19, (10) several refugee crises around the world, (11) the exit of beloved cultural icons like Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben, (12) SARS Co-V2 damage,(13)  the absence of a number of sporting events to which we are accustomed, (14) defunding the police, (15) the scarcity of weight-lifting equipment in stores or online, (16) the inability to stockpile toilet paper, etc. And need I mention Covid 19?

The fact is: if you’re not angry about something right now you are doubtless going to make someone else angry with you because of that!

And that’s because ANGER IS ALL THE RAGE right now!

I have seen many fads in my lifetime, and those of you who are older have seen even more. When I was young we all wanted to have long hair like the Beatles. (Funny, but their hair wasn’t even long compared to the coiffures that followed them). When I was in high school we went through a faze where white jeans and fluorescent colored socks were all the rage. But there have been bell-bottoms, mini-skirts, granny dresses, tie dyes, baggy pants, etc. And at one time they were all the rage, too.

The non-religious are angry about the Ten Commandments having a prominent place in courthouses across the country. The religious are angry they aren’t allowed to go to church in some states because of the danger of Covid-19 spreading. Black Lives Matter is angry because White Supremacy is causing blacks, transvestites, homosexuals, women and undocumented persons to be disenfranchised. Women are angry because of men. Workers are angry because of bosses. White skinned people are angry because people of other colored skin are angry at them. Republicans are angry at Democrats, and Democrats are angry at Republicans. Liberals are angry with Conservatives, and Conservatives are angry with Liberals.

And everyone is worried that Covid-19 is going to hold back the entertainment industry and deprive us of live concerts, or new Amazon Prime or Netflix shows.

You see, anger is all the rage right now, isn’t it?

Twenty-five or more years ago I used to listen faithfully to talk radio. And every time I did so I found myself ANGRY about something. Anger has some pretty damaging (even life threatening) effects on me. I am a slow learner. But it soon began to dawn on me that if I wanted to avoid the damaging anger in my life I might start by NOT listening to radio personalities whose whole aim is to make others (like me) ANGRY right along WITH them. So, I stopped. And I haven’t listened since then. What a relief it was!

But now I find myself encompassed with a constant barrage of anger almost everywhere I turn. I have to say that our flower garden out back is pretty safe, even though there are regular visits from bees, wasps, and even hawks (just to name a few). If you go to a grocery store you will find people angry about having to wear a face mask, or you will find people angry if someone isn’t wearing one. If you go to a hardware store you sometimes find people annoyed that they have to wait in line longer than they used to, and at “a safe distance” from other customers.

No longer can you waltz with your pet into the neighborhood veterinary clinic; you must wait in your car while someone deals with your pet, and even pay on the phone from your car for the desired service for your pet. There are similar restrictions at the dentist’s office, or the hair stylist’s salon.

Sometimes, I think, people are just sitting on a powder keg of anger, fear, and untold emotions.

BTW, I have found the local cemetery to be quiet, free of social distancing issues, and anger free (in case you are looking for respite from all this anger).

If you need anger to help you cope with the turmoil in our world today, that is your choice, I suppose. But I, for one, don’t think that really helps. This relentless, fault-finding, condemning, vitriolic, hateful, vengeful, misguided and damaging diatribe must be silenced.

Anger is all the rage right now. But if it remains in vogue much longer . . . we will lose far more than we think we might gain by it. Far. More.