ATDTDA 671ff

[Mark Kohut]

Laura:

As long as we occasionally bandy about Brothers Karamazov references (well, I do, anyway), see also the Grand Inquisitor (or is it Pro and Contra) section , where Ivan Karamazov refuses on principle to turn the other cheek Christian-style; refuses to let go of his anger at injustice. 


" I read again last night the fifth chapter of the second part of The brothers Karamazov, the chapter in which Ivan holds back his ticket of admission
to the universe God has created, and found myself sobbing uncontrollably." --J. M. Coetzee, Diary of a Bad Year, p. 223.

He goes on to write it is not Ivan's position, which he feels is rather vengeful, and he is in symapthy with Christ who, by turning the other cheek, sought to break the cycle of revenge and reprisal..."greatest of all contributions to political ethics"....but it is Ivan's "accents of anguish, the personal anguish of a soul unable to bear the horrors of this world."
 
-----Original Message-----
>From: David Morris <fqmorris at gmail.com>

>
>On Jan 17, 2008 3:01 AM, Michael Bailey <michael.lee.bailey at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> 672 "But I sold my anger too cheap, didn't understand how precious it was" -- Never understood that - seems like an unpleasant emotion that one gets rid of asap, deep breathing or whatever.  Never something to base action on...
>
>Naw.  "Righteous" anger can be an effective energy source for action
>one might otherwise be squeemish to pursue.  And it's preciousness
>would be the result of a very deep wrong that deserves a thorough and
>powerful response, an "expensive" one both in the effort expended and
>the consequences wrought.
>
>From Wiki:
>
>Three types of anger are recognized by psychologists: One connected to
>the impulse for self-preservation, occurring when the person or animal
>is tormented or trapped. The second type of anger is a reaction to
>perceived deliberate harm doing or unfair treatment by others.
>Irritability, sullenness and churlishness are examples of the third
>type of anger which is related more to character traits than to
>instincts or cognitions.[3]
>
>Modern psychologists view anger as a primary, natural and even mature
>emotion experienced by all humans at times, something that has
>functional value for survival. Anger can mobilize psychological
>resources for corrective action. Uncontrolled anger can however
>negatively affect personal or social well-being.[4][1]







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