Is Anger Ever Useful? A Stoic Discussion on Anger, Justice, and Self-Control

About this event

Anger can feel powerful. It can seem to motivate us, protect us, and push us to confront unfairness. But the Stoics were deeply suspicious of it. Seneca, in particular, argued that anger is not a strength but a loss of control. So who’s right? For our first Buffalo Stoicism Club meeting, we’ll discuss whether anger is ever genuinely useful—or whether we’d be better off acting firmly without it. We’ll start with a simple question: When was the last time being angry actually helped you? From there, we’ll explore questions like: Does anger motivate us to act? Can you fight injustice without being angry? Is anger different from assertiveness? Does suppressing anger just make things worse? Are some things worth getting angry about? And what would a genuinely Stoic response to provocation look like? No knowledge of Stoicism or philosophy is required. This will be a casual, friendly discussion where thoughtful disagreement and debate are welcome. Come ready to talk, think, laugh, disagree, and maybe reconsider whether getting pissed off has been doing as much for you as it claims. Please RSVP so we'll know how many are joining us.