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About this quote

What does it mean?
Hidden rage does not vanish but becomes stronger and breeds contempt when concealed.
In plain terms
Bottling up anger only makes it worse.
What can you take from it?
Address rage openly rather than suppressing it.

Where it applies

  • conflict resolution
  • personal therapy
  • leadership

Putting it to work

  • managing anger
  • confronting conflict

Questions to consider

  • When should anger be hidden?
  • Why is rage hard to suppress?

Another view

It may not account for cases where hiding anger is safer.

More from James Baldwin

  1. People who treat other people as less than human must not be surprised when the bread they have cast on the waters comes floating back to them, poisoned.

    Permalink to quote #48
  2. We have all had the experience of finding that our reactions and perhaps even our deeds have denied beliefs we thought were ours.

    Permalink to quote #50
  3. Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it is faced.

    Permalink to quote #47

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