Anger is one of our most primitive defense mechanisms that protects and motivates us from being dominated or manipulated by others. It gives us the added strength, courage, and motivation needed to combat injustice done against us or to others that we love.
When there is oppression, anger is a gift. It is a fuel given by nature in order to facilitate action. It is the thing that increases the possibility of revolt, when “reason” tells us it would be safer to be a nice puppy. It was important for women in the 1970s (when the feminist movement happened) to realize that they were angry and to accept the feeling as a good thing.
The psychologist Paul Ekman has famously demonstrated that there are certain facial expressions which are universally understood by all people regardless of their culture. They include anger, disgust, fear, joy, sadness, surprise, and maybe also contempt. These are emotions and expressions of emotion that are "hard wired" in our brains.
The external signs of anger, which are so visible not just by accident, signals to others that we mean business. This deters them from various actions they would otherwise find worth pursuing. Your opponent may back off.
Not all anger leads to violence. You can do some very positive things with negative feelings. Anger can lead to dialogue and powerful conversations resulting in change as well. It can teach us a thing or two about how to have
healthier, happier relationships.
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