Critical Thinking: Is Being Outraged Another Way For Someone To Receive Attention?

In today’s world, it is not uncommon to hear about someone who is outraged about something. But while this is nothing new, there is something that is new, and this relates to the kind of things that people get worked up about.

A Mountain Out of a Mole Hill

If someone got worked up about something in the past, it may have been a sign that something bad had actually taken place. These days, it could simply show that someone has come across someone that ‘offends’ them.

For example, what another person has said in the real world or online could have been enough to cause this person to self-destruct. Even so, it is unlikely that this person will believe that there is anything wrong with their behaviour.

Perfectly Normal

They could believe that they are behaving in the right way, and that something needs to be done about what has taken place. One can then come across as though they have absolutely no self-control, but they will feel as though they are right and what they are getting offended about is wrong.

This could be something that takes place from time to time, or this could be something that happens more or less every day. And, while this could be something that typically occurs when they are around others, it might be something that is more like to occur when they are online.

A Whole Army

When one does get worked up about something, it is highly unlikely that they will be the only ones. If someone or something has annoyed them online, they might soon see that there are a number of other people who have reacted in the same way.

Through seeing that this is the case, it can be seen as a sign that their view is the only view that matters and that something needs to be done. Whether something is true or not is then going to be seen as something that is defined by the amount of people who believe that it is true, as opposed to whether it is actually true.

Emotions over Facts

As a result of this, there is going to be no reason for one to take a step back and to reflect on what they believe. Their emotional brain will be in control and their thinking brain will have been put to one side.

And if their emotional brain is driving their behaviour, it is then not going to be a surprise for them to behave in a way that is completely irrational. One can look like an adult, but they will be behaving more like a child.

The Mob

So, with the help of the other people who are also ‘offended’ by something or someone, they can try to do something about what has offended them. It could be that an ad in a paper or page on a website has triggered them.

In this case, they might try to stop people from visiting a certain store, or to try to make a company change its website in some way. After a little while, there is a strong chance that that these people these will achieve their desires outcome.

The Minority against the Majority

It could be said that this shows how much control the social media mob have, then again, it shows how easy it is to influence what a big company does or doesn’t do. A company, out of the fear of looking bad, will often do whatever these people want them to do.

But as there are only a small percentage of people who behave in this manner, it can seem strange that such a big company would give in so easily. It is then similar to how one child in a class of twenty can end up getting the attention, and the only reason this will happen is because the child is misbehaving.

Rewarding Bad Behaviour

So, instead of holding firm and not giving in to people who should probably spend less time looking for ways to be offended online and more time trying to understand why they behave the way they do, they give in to a small minority who can’t control their emotions. If these companies were to do a survey and to find out how many of their customers have a problem with an ad or a page on their website, for instance, they are likely to find that it’s not an issue.

The trouble is that the more those companies give into this kind of behaviour, the more empowered/deluded these people become. What this does is make it even harder for these people to reflect on what they are doing and then to change their behaviour.

Not Good

With that aside, when one has the tendency to be outraged by just about everything, it is going to cause them to experience a lot of unnecessary stress. Getting worked up all the time is not going to be good for their mental, emotional and physical health.

However, if they were to to take a step back and to no longer get so worked up, it is unlikely to solve the problems. What they could find is that getting worked up allows them to receive attention and it gives them an emotional release.

Stepping Back

Therefore, one could end up getting withdrawal symptoms if they were to longer behave in this manner. There is the chance that there was a time in their life when they were violated in some way, and this would have caused them to be outraged.

Perhaps this was something that took place when they were younger, a time when they wouldn’t have been able to express how angry they were. Maybe they were abused and/or neglected during this time.

Indirect Revenge

The trauma that they experienced at this time in their life will still be within them, and this can be why they get so worked up by just about everything in their adult life. This is then a way for them to express what they were not allowed to empress as a child.
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Their conscious mind may have forgotten about what took place all these years ago, but their unconscious mind will remember exactly what happened. The pain that is within them will need to be made conscious in order for them to change their behaviour.

Awareness

If one can relate to this, and they want to change their life, it might be a good idea for them to reach out for external support. This can take place with the assistance of a therapist or a healer. 

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Oliver JR Cooper
http://www.oliverjrcooper.co.uk