2. The Credibility of Rage

(Original Text Posted in 2007 by Gary E. Geraci)
“rage n 1: violent anger” - Webster’s Vest Pocket Dictionary

“Leontius, the son of Aglaion, coming up one day from the Piraeus, under the north wall on the outside, observed some dead bodies lying on the ground at the place of execution. He felt a desire to see them, and also a dread and abhorrence of them; for a time he struggled and covered his eyes, but at length the desire got the better of him; and forcing them open, he ran up to the dead bodies, saying, Look, ye wretches, take your fill of the fair sight.

The moral of the tale is that anger at times goes to war with desire, as though they were two distinct things.  When a man's desires violently prevail over his reason, he reviles himself, and is angry at the violence within him, and that in this struggle his spirit is on the side of his reason.

…passion or spirit when not corrupted by bad education is the natural auxiliary of reason.”  The Republic, Book IV, by Plato

Rage isn’t respectful and is often hushed in schoolrooms, courtrooms and boardrooms alike.  Thank God for “creative license” and the many alternative avenues of free expression like song lyrics, books, poetry, and yes, blogs.  Has not rage of reason inspired resurgence against the unjust? Has not rage of reason resurrected justice?

Injustice is repugnant and so be it the rage borne by it. Such rage aims not to revere. 

Rage borne of indignation is virtuous.

Rage borne of reason is credible.