The Death of Outrage

No, Really. Kill It. Now.

There sure seems to be an awful lot of outrage at work in the world these days. It is most noticeable in the Arab/Islamic world, where outrage is a staple component of the cultural landscape. We saw it in the reaction to the “cartoon controversy.” We see it in the Sunni/Shiite battles in Iraq. In fact, we pretty much see it every time somebody says something that some Muslim doesn’t like.

But outrage is not solely a trait of Muslims. Noooo, we have plenty of it around these parts too. There has simply been scads of outrage about the Dubai Ports deal. I actually heard one fellow call into a radio talk show to declare his outrage about it. “I am outraged!” he screamed. Then, to be sure we got the point, he repeated it several times.

As for the left...well, outrage is the left’s preferred method of communicating with their fellow citizens. That is the whole point of a political demonstration - to showcase one’s outrage under the sexy glare of television lights. One can’t watch a Feminist news conference without hearing just how outraged and, indeed, “pissed off” they are. One cannot watch the NAACP in action without being treated to soaring orations of outrage, often in rhyme!

So what is this thing called outrage? Why is it so popular? In my opinion, it is the single most corrosive attribute of human society. It is an emotional Molotov cocktail, often posing as moral concern. The fact that it seems to have become our primary means of social discourse should give us all pause for concern.

One of the interesting things about outrage is that it shifts the focus of discussion and debate. When I get outraged, the focus is no longer on the thing at issue (say, blasphemous cartoons). It becomes me and my outrage. If you doubt this, just count how many times you have seen pictures of the offending cartoons on television news, opposed to the number of times you have seen pictures of outraged rioting Muslims. Fomenting outrage is a tool in the hands of charlatans and hucksters with an agenda to promote. Whenever you see someone deliberately fomenting outrage in others, be very, very suspicious of that person and his motives.

Outrage does not seek understanding, or a solution. Outrage instead seeks immediate capitulation and obeisance. “I’m sorry, please forgive me, I won’t do it again” is the only acceptable answer. It has no interest in discussion or debate. Indeed, it exists explicitly to sidestep debate. “Some things are just too important to debate” is what outrage tells us. As such it is a natural state of mind for those who don’t want their position questioned.

Outrage also motivates the basest instincts. It does not, it cannot, elevate the spirit or the mind. To the contrary, it causes otherwise civil persons to descend into barbarism, content in the knowledge that they have been given permission because, well, because it’s outrageous!

So are there any good sides to outrage? In theory I suppose it could be used to motivate people to take action for good purposes, but this is unlikely. It is not often that well-intentioned ends can be achieved through invoking base emotions. Somewhere along the way things usually take a turn for the worst.

So why is outrage so popular? If it is so destructive, why do we see it in east, middle east and west, on left and right? I think because it is the language of the irrational. It fits the needs and desires of both pre-enlightenment cultures and of post-modern anti-intellectuals. The language of reason is not the language of outrage. It is stomping our feet and shaking our fist at the lightning.

Do not confuse any of this for pacifism. There comes a time to fight, and then we must fight with eyes wide open and stout hearts. But victory achieved through fights born of outrage usually produced nothing of value. At best they leave a bittersweet and shallow sense of accomplishment. At worse a hangover that begs for more violence.

It is pretty clear that reason is not going to banish outrage anytime soon. But the very least we can do is be wary of those peddling it, and to not allow its mere presence to have any moral standing. And relentlessly beat it back with reason.

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