Types of Anger Ranked from Best to Worst

Anger is that hot emotion that compels people to break tables and curse their bosses. Anger is often the culprit behind break-ups and the instigator of fights. But we humans have evolved this emotion for a reason, and we are often too quick to overlook the utility of the red emotion.

While oftentimes destructive, anger has many benefits. It helps us to feel powerful during times of conflict, and enables us to get our own way. But not all forms of anger are created equal. Some help us improve the world, others destroy us.

Below are six different types of anger, ranked in order of usefulness. See if you can identify which of these forms of anger you tend towards, and consider how anger has served or hindered you in the past.

# 6 — Resentment (aka bitterness)

Resentment is the type of anger you feel when you are treated badly, but do nothing about it. It is an anger that forever grows inside of you, souring your experience of life, and leaving you bitter.

This slow burning, inwardly directed anger lingers forever, and never finds an appropriate outlet. This means that the resentful do not utilise their anger to right wrongs or fight back at injustice.

Instead of directing their anger appropriately, the resentful leave their anger to sit within themselves, and gnaw away at their self worth. And not only does resentment hurt the resentful, but resentment causes them to lash out at the undeserving.

Resentment is the most impotent form of anger, and it is the worst type of anger because not only can it last a lifetime, but it is utterly useless.

# 5 — Grumpiness (aka crankiness)

This type of anger is common in teens and old people alike, and anyone with a physical or hormonal reason to get snappy.

Grumpiness is a type of chronic anger that one feels as a result of pain, hunger, lack of sleep, or general unhappiness. Some folks are temperamentally inclined toward being chronic grumps as well.

Grumpiness sucks because it tends to stick around for ages, and makes a bad situation worse. If you’re hungry, for instance, you’re already feeling sub optimal, the last thing you need is for grumpiness to come along and kick you when you’re down.

Another reason grumpiness is one of the less desirable forms of anger, is that it targets those who don’t deserve it. Grumpiness tends to find outlets in whoever is closest by, not whoever is most deserving. That nice waiter who couldn’t hear what you said? Blast him! The friendly old woman walking her dog in front of me? Get out of my way!

# 4 — Rage (aka fury)

Rage is that anger that possesses your entire being and transforms you into a savage beast. It is the type of anger that causes plates to be smashed and bones to be broken. It is the anger of legends, and the anger that transformed the Hulk to superherodom.

Rage is the most intense form of anger. It sets in quickly and consumes you entirely. And it has the capacity to cause more immediate damage than any other form of anger. Thus, it can be highly destructive, and pushes people to do regrettable things.

Rage is an anger that cannot be reasoned with. There’s no point trying to speak rationally with something possessed by rage; the best you can do is try not enrage them further.

Considering how destructive rage can be, you might wonder why it’s not further down the list. Well that’s because fortunately rage is only short lived. It flares up quickly and cools down before too long. In addition to being a powerful manifestation of anger, it can be quite cathartic. And occasionally if directed at an appropriate target it can affect positive change.

However, since rage is so strong and impossible to contain, it rarely results in anything good.

# 3 — Annoyance (aka irritation)

Not a great feeling, but sometimes it’s appropriate. Plus, this one’s decidedly mild and unlikely to cause much serious damage.

And hey, that annoyed look on your face lets the annoyer know that that mildly obnoxious behaviour of theirs is not to your liking. That’ll show them.

However, it is important to note that annoyance, along with any other forms of anger for that matter, is UTTERLY useless when directed at inanimate objects?

Mad at the computer for crashing? It couldn’t care less. Peeved at the ill-placed bowling ball you just stubbed your toe on? Again, it is unlikely to be intimidated by your demonstration of wrath.

# 2 — Displeasure (aka umbrage)

Displeasure is the most dignified type of anger. It is an anger mixed with disgust, that looks down disapprovingly at the object of its dislike. It is an anger with taste, and an anger with class.

You might feel displeasure at your roommate’s sexist jokes, or at the lack of manners evident in those at your local bar. You could feel displeasure listening to the crass promises of politicians or to the coarse lyrics of the latest pop hit.

Along with denoting a degree of moral feeling, this emotion also ranks highly because it is mild and easy to contain. Displeasure does not typically result in fights or fits of swearing, the more common outcome of displeasure being a firm word or haughty stare. And typically feelings of displeasure do not build up and gnaw away at a person over time.

Additionally, displeasure can help to enforce a person’s ethical code, as feelings of displeasure often serve to prevent you from replicating the behaviour which triggered it.

# 1 -Indignation (aka outrage)

Finally, we come to the best manifestation of the red emotion: indignation. Indignation is that anger you feel upon perceiving injustice, and upon receiving unfair treatment. It is an anger guided by your moral compass, an anger that will not tolerate inequity.

Like displeasure, it is a dignified permutation of anger, one that doesn’t result in violent acts or sour the important relationships in our life. It is an anger that impels us to right the wrongs of the world, and it is an anger that gives us the courage to affect positive change.

More than any other form of anger, indignation is often constructive. Empowered by the hot feelings of anger, and pushed forward to action, the indignant and the outraged work tirelessly at creating a better world. Many will take to the streets to protest, others will write books or create art.

Concluding words

In summary, while the red emotion often suffers reputation problems, there is a lot more to it than broken chairs and unkind words. So when you next feel anger flare up inside of you, don’t be so quick to push it away. Be angry. But be angry wisely.