I used to let myself get far too angry about far too many things, especially online. (This is the way I frequently felt.) Even when I was right, the angry way I acted often made me wrong. Even worse from my point of view, the rage I felt toward others was eating at me inside. I was hurting myself.
I spent quite a bit of time thinking about why I got so angry and looking into family issues that contributed. (One of my most vivid childhood memories is of the many times my father would be yelling at me so angrily that I’d watch the veins of his neck swell as he yelled.) I had to retrain myself in a number of ways and change some of my ways of thinking — or at least learn how to manage what I was feeling instead of being destructive.
I still get angry with idiots — and sometimes with non-idiots who just rub me the wrong way — but I’m able to remind myself about my priorities and ask whether anger does any good. It’s very rare that I let myself get as angry and combative as I used to.
I’m happier with myself and I think other people are happier with me.

Surgery report: It went very well, but first time is one too many for me
Little boy for whom I was named shows what my mother hoped for
Trivial objects have power to be containers for strong emotions
Intellectual honesty mostly dead — but few partisans even care
13 observations as we watch for the world to burn in Trump era
How do we start over and give ourselves parenting we needed?
‘Vast military-industrial complex’ keeps growing and keeps killing
Apologize while you still can, because you’ll live with regret
If there are exceptions to free speech, it’s not really free speech, is it?