Charakterystyka gniewu na podstawie Rozmyślań Marka Aureliusza

Abstract

Emperor of the Roman Empire, Marcus Aurelius (121–180), stoical philosophy follower, believed that anger, though not compliant with the human nature and being always some deficiency of humanity, belongs to one of typically human competences and feelings. According to the author, being angry is not a manly quality. Moreover, anger always imprints a durable stamp on an angry man's face. Aurelius writes that there are two types of reason to be angry: the first one may be called human, the second – random. On the part of people the reasons to be angry may be the following: our relatives and friends; those who are accompanied by unpleasant smell; those who make some mistakes; people who are insensitive and ungrateful; those who evaluate and judge us, as well as those who act against the state. While among the random reasons he names the following: lifespan, coincidence and future events. According to the author the most frequent manifestations of anger are: touchiness, maliciousness and cruelty. Touchiness means bearing a grudge againts others; maliciousness means being harmful towards another person in a tiresome way; whereas cruelty is always some way of relishing doing harm to and inflicting suffering on somebody. From Aurelius' point of view, the flaw of angriness always has disastrous consequences and is characterised by unwise behaviour as well as using one's will in a way which is at variance with nature. Am ong the consequences of anger Aurelius ennumerates the following: reluctance and being suspicious. In order to prevent anger, the author advises everyone: to have agreeable disposition, avoid even what appears to be anger, not to get angry with anyone and to remember that man's life does not last long.