Anger or Outrage?

Bafta awards were last night and although I managed to avoid watching the ceremonies I have heard a couple of comments this morning.

Accepting the award for "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing" the film's producer said that the film was about anger.

Accepting his award for “Darkest Hour” Gary Oldman said that Churchill “...galvanised action and embraced change."

The emotion in both films was strong, but was it really anger in “Three Billboards”? And do we think Churchill was angry?

I think that both films were dealing with outrage, and there is a subtle but important difference.

Anger can be a painful and negative emotion that eats away at our peace of mind and creates unbearable stress. Outrage leads to action, allows us to take control of our situation and reduces stress. We only need to take that first step from anger to action to gain the benefit. Ghandi said;

“If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. ... We need not wait to see what others do.”

There is much to be outraged about in every generation.

Society needs change and if we aren't outraged about something we probably haven't been paying attention.