“Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret.”
-Ambrose Bierce
I’ve often felt that in this day and age, the proverb “silence is golden” is not very apt, especially in an age in which silence is often mistaken for contentment.
That said, I do think there is one time when it’s better to bite your tongue: when you’re angry.
First, we have to accept that anger is a natural emotion which cannot be avoided. So by no means am I advocating suppressing it (unless you have a serious medical problem with it).
What I am suggesting is to remain silent when angry.
For one thing, we should always be in control of our speech which is difficult to do in anger.
Secondly, I’ve always believed that while making an argument, there should be some rationale behind it (even if it’s one only you believe in) simply so you don’t come across as ignorant. That also is difficult to do in anger.
When you’re angry, it’s best to walk away and let it out in other ways (write about it, punch a pillow, etc).
Then come back and make your point afterward when you’ve had some time for more objectivity.
Do you have ways of dealing with speech while angry? Join the discussion and comment below.
