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We face insults all the time. Discussion of any topical article on the Internet inevitably slips into a transition to the individual. Where does the desire to throw out their aggression on another come from? Four thinkers, four opinions.
“Aggression makes us stronger”
In his work “Rhetoric” (XNUMXth century BC), Aristotle argues that when we bring down anger on others, we feel a sense of superiority: “There is always some pleasure associated with anger, due to the hope of punishing, since it is pleasant to think that you will achieve what you are striving for. No one strives for what seems impossible to him, and an angry person strives for what is possible for him … “
Aristotle draws attention to the fact that people who are insecure, internally doubting their position use this method of self-assertion: “The feeling of pleasure in people who offend appears because they, insulting others, in their mind from this rise even more above them. That is why young people and rich people easily inflict insults: it seems to them that by inflicting insults they achieve the greater superiority.
“To Satisfy Your Vanity”
In insulting another, we confess our inability to influence him by other means. The German philosopher Schopenhauer even suggested using this method to win an argument. “When you notice that you have a stronger opponent in front of you, find fault with him at the first opportunity, be rude and two-faced with him,” the philosopher advises in his work “Eristics, or the Art of Winning Disputes.”
Since direct insult is often the last resort to “knock” the opponent out of the saddle, it is used as a way to get out of the discussion with the least loss to self-esteem.
“The satisfaction of vanity arises chiefly from the comparison of oneself with others, and especially in relation to spiritual forces. This is indeed strongly noticed during the dispute. This explains the bitterness of the vanquished, although he was not treated unfairly. That is why he grabs at the last means, at this last trick, which cannot be avoided with the help of simple politeness.
“Because of our immaturity”
Insult becomes possible because we ourselves decide to be offended, the Roman philosopher Seneca believed. “Anyone who takes insults to heart shows a complete lack of insight and self-confidence,” writes Seneca in the Philosophical Treatises. He decides without hesitation that he has been scorned, and feels a painful pang. But this comes from a kind of baseness of the soul, humiliating and bowing before others.
The best way to avoid this is to become self-sufficient, free from the opinion of society. A sage, according to Seneca, is first of all an internally free person. “The sage cannot be humiliated: for he knows his greatness and is convinced that no one dares to allow himself such liberty in relation to him; he does not have to overcome what I would not even call a mental hardship, but rather an annoying irritation: he is simply insensitive to it.
“This is how we fight for a place in society”
Evolution has given us a more developed brain, but our instincts have generally remained at the level of their ancestors. At least, that’s what modern American philosopher William Irwin, author of A Slap in the Face: Why Insults Hurt – And Why They Shouldn’t, thinks.
Our behavior is subject to the same laws as the behavior of animals: in order to feel secure, we tend to stay in the group. Irwin believes that the ancient mechanism of the struggle for survival lies at the heart of the insult: the one who insults lowers the status of the victim, seeks to exclude him from the group. In turn, he demonstrates his strength to others by raising his own status. Indeed, how else can one explain some of the antics of politicians?