On injustice

 

I can't stand injustice. It doesn't matter if it happens to someone else or to me, I am unable to deal with it. A deep anger wells up inside me, which is difficult for me to handle, and usually there are two possible outcomes.

 

The first is that I simmer inside, trying to suppress my anger. In these moments, I can work myself up to a state close to tears, and in the end, it's not the fact of the injustice that bothers me, but rather the fact that I can't control my emotions. This state can only be resolved by stepping out of the situation with going for a walk. By stepping out of the situation, I start to see a different perspective, which usually helps me overcome my own negative feelings. Eventually, I’m able to calm down and look at the originally perceived unfair situation from a positive point of view. This is relatively a long process.

 

The other possibility is that I immediately express my opinion, usually without choosing my words carefully. I explain how I perceive the situation as unfair and unacceptable, and I am also upset about how the other party dares to behave unjustly. In these moments, I quickly release the tension within me, feel relieved, and move on. This is a rather quick process.

 

Of course, in both cases, my reactions are failed from the start, as I either don't give the other person space to express their opinion, or I shut down any communication lines and isolate myself. Neither approach is helpful, and perhaps most importantly, I don't feel good after either of them. It may be that I was right in the given situation, but at what cost?

 

I'm starting to realise that there is no problem in expressing my opinion, on the contrary. The question is, in what style and from what perspective do I start speaking? If I shout with tension, I won't achieve anything, that's clear. What if, before responding in anger, I pause for a moment and try to find that different perspective right then and there, which up until now only a walk could provide? Could I consciously see a seemingly unfair situation in a way that allows me to see the positive side? How much stress and annoyance would I save myself in this way?