--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Anger can be a good thing. It's a…" description: "\"Anger can be a good thing. It's a mechanism that your brain uses to get you out of situations that are bad for you. But in terms of leading a peaceful ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea1/tara-westover-8275_anger_anger-can-be-a-good-thing-it-s-a-mechani_113943.jpg" --- # Anger can be a good thing. It's a mechanism that your… ![“Anger can be a good thing. It's a mechanism that your brain uses to get you out of situations that are bad for you. But in terms of leading a peaceful life, it is not very productive.” quote by Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea1/tara-westover-8275_anger_anger-can-be-a-good-thing-it-s-a-mechani_113943.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea1/tara-westover-8275_anger_anger-can-be-a-good-thing-it-s-a-mechani_113943.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea1/tara-westover-8275_anger_anger-can-be-a-good-thing-it-s-a-mechani_113943.jpg) > “Anger can be a good thing. It's a mechanism that your brain uses to get you out of situations that are bad for you. But in terms of leading a peaceful life, it is not very productive.” [Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Anger signals danger and can motivate protective action, but relying on it hinders calm, sustainable progress. **In simple terms:** Anger helps you escape threats but blocks peaceful living. Key Takeaway Use anger as a warning, not a habit. Themes emotion self‑regulation motivation peace Mood reflective cautious Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - escaping abusive relationships - leaving a toxic job - reacting to injustice - making health decisions Key Concepts psychology of affect behavioral control Practical Applications - pause and assess before acting - channel anger into constructive planning Questions to Reflect On - When does anger become a catalyst rather than a hindrance? - How can you tell if anger is protecting you or trapping you? A Different Perspective Anger can also spark social change when directed toward collective action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) [Brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Peaceful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peaceful/) [Peaceful life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peaceful-life/) ## Related quotes > [“Never be too angry beyond repairs. Anger is nothing good to be part of your tributes. Are you angry with someone? The sun is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/never-be-too-angry-beyond-repairs-anger-is-nothing-good-to-be-part-of/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [If you expect your life to be full of ups and downs, then your mind will be much more peaceful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thubten-yeshe/if-you-expect-your-life-to-be-full-of-ups-and-downs-then-your-mind/) [Thubten Yeshe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thubten-yeshe/) > [“Mankind must live in a harmony with one another in order to have a peaceful world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/mankind-must-live-in-a-harmony-with-one-another-in-order-to-have-a/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [The happiness promised us in Christ does not consist in outward advantages-such as leading a joyous and peaceful life, having rich possessions, being safe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/the-happiness-promised-us-in-christ-does-not-consist-in-outward/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [“The less reaction given to negative people the more peaceful your life becomes”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-frost/the-less-reaction-given-to-negative-people-the-more-peaceful-your/) [Anita Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-frost/) > [Go forth from our holy land and go back to your families who are waiting for you impatiently, that you and we, as well,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muqtada-al-sadr/go-forth-from-our-holy-land-and-go-back-to-your-families-who-are/) [Muqtada al Sadr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muqtada-al-sadr/) > [“The goal of any spiritual person is to strive towards attaining self-realization by living spontaneously in the present moment of physical reality, free from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kilroy-j-oldster/the-goal-of-any-spiritual-person-is-to-strive-towards-attaining-self/) [Kilroy J. Oldster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kilroy-j-oldster/) > [Yes, it is true that too much of everything is as bad as little, because satisfaction and gracious acceptance is the keyword for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanushree-dutta/yes-it-is-true-that-too-much-of-everything-is-as-bad-as-little/) [Tanushree Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanushree-dutta/) > [This habit of free speaking at ladies' lunches has impaired society; it has doubtless led to many of the tragedies of divorce and marital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-e-w-sherwood/this-habit-of-free-speaking-at-ladies-lunches-has-impaired-society-it/) [M. E. W. Sherwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-e-w-sherwood/) > [“Earth is the play ground of our children and their children. We cannot allow it to be the play ground of the nuclear arms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-ray/earth-is-the-play-ground-of-our-children-and-their-children-we-cannot/) [Amit Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-ray/) > [I don't want boastful life just I want peaceful life with my lovable people…!!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/defy-ravi/i-don-t-want-boastful-life-just-i-want-peaceful-life-with-my-lovable/) Defy Ravi > [By centering our lives on correct principles and creating a balanced focus between doing and increasing our ability to do, we become empowered to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/by-centering-our-lives-on-correct-principles-and-creating-a-balanced/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [The love of a girl can make a man stay on when he should go,Just tryin' to build a peaceful life where love is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-david/the-love-of-a-girl-can-make-a-man-stay-on-when-he-should-go-just/) [Hal David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-david/) > [Death by violence, death by cold, death by starvation - they are the normal endings of the stately creatures of the wilderness. The sentimentalists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/death-by-violence-death-by-cold-death-by-starvation-they-are-the/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [I do not have a very peaceful life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-busquets/i-do-not-have-a-very-peaceful-life/) [Sergio Busquets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-busquets/) ## More by Tara Westover > [I have a theory that all abuse, no matter what kind of abuse it is, is foremost an assault on the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/i-have-a-theory-that-all-abuse-no-matter-what-kind-of-abuse-it-is-is/) [Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/) > [I get up when I feel like getting up. That's the deal I've made with myself: I can stay in bed as long as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/i-get-up-when-i-feel-like-getting-up-that-s-the-deal-i-ve-made-with/) [Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/) > [I felt like I needed to come to terms with the decision I'd made to let go of my family. What do you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/i-felt-like-i-needed-to-come-to-terms-with-the-decision-i-d-made-to/) [Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/) > [Learning in our family was entirely self-directed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/learning-in-our-family-was-entirely-self-directed/) [Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/) > [I think you can change your belief, but sometimes your behavior takes a lot longer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/i-think-you-can-change-your-belief-but-sometimes-your-behavior-takes/) [Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/) > [I'm no longer religious, but the Bible fascinates me. Hardly anyone reads it anymore, but it's got everything: it's a book of poetry, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/i-m-no-longer-religious-but-the-bible-fascinates-me-hardly-anyone/) [Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/) > [I didn't even have a birth certificate until I was 9 years old, which meant that, according to the state of Idaho and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/i-didn-t-even-have-a-birth-certificate-until-i-was-9-years-old-which/) [Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/) > [There's a sense of sovereignty that comes from life on a mountain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/there-s-a-sense-of-sovereignty-that-comes-from-life-on-a-mountain/) [Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/) > [“You can’t be a person without a birthday, they seemed to say.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/you-can-t-be-a-person-without-a-birthday-they-seemed-to-say/) [Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/) > [I had to be - I was in school for probably three or four years before I began taking courses in history and political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/i-had-to-be-i-was-in-school-for-probably-three-or-four-years-before-i/) [Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/) > [BYU was a really positive place for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/byu-was-a-really-positive-place-for-me/) [Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/) > [For a long time, I didn't think I had the right to walk away from my family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/for-a-long-time-i-didn-t-think-i-had-the-right-to-walk-away-from-my/) [Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/) > [“This moment would define my memory of that night, and of the many nights like it, for a decade. In it I saw myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/this-moment-would-define-my-memory-of-that-night-and-of-the-many/) [Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/) > [We think about education as a stepping stone into a higher socio-economic class, into a better job. And it does do those things. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/we-think-about-education-as-a-stepping-stone-into-a-higher-socio/) [Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/) > [I felt like we had stories about family loyalty; I didn't feel like we had stories about what to do when you felt that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/i-felt-like-we-had-stories-about-family-loyalty-i-didn-t-feel-like-we/) [Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/) [Explore all 82 Tara Westover quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/) ## More Anger quotes > [“If I let myself think of it the pain and anger were still fresh, adrenalin racing down my limbs to pool, hot and itchy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-ladd/if-i-let-myself-think-of-it-the-pain-and-anger-were-still-fresh/) [Kylie Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-ladd/) > [I receive something we might euphemistically call an 'inappropriately hostile' response - that is to say, more than fair criticism or even fair anger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/i-receive-something-we-might-euphemistically-call-an-inappropriately/) [Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Anger is a rough water; if you can canalize it into a water mill, you can benefit from it. Anything bad can be transformed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/anger-is-a-rough-water-if-you-can-canalize-it-into-a-water-mill-you/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“When you feel terribly angry, you're possessed by anger ghost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-feel-terribly-angry-you-re-possessed-by-anger-ghost/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [“Medical studies have shown that cursing reduces levels of stress and pain. Repressing your anger is not healthy. It's much better to verbalize it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/medical-studies-have-shown-that-cursing-reduces-levels-of-stress-and/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [My care will be in the heart n not in words My anger will be in Words n not in the Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/my-care-will-be-in-the-heart-n-not-in-words-my-anger-will-be-in-words/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. It doesn't do anything to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-should-be-angry-you-must-not-be-bitter-bitterness-is-like-cancer/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-a-negro-in-this-country-and-to-be-relatively-conscious-is-to-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“God, you had enough time to have been through it three times. You've been through my stuff. I bet you over and let one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/god-you-had-enough-time-to-have-been-through-it-three-times-you-ve/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [The present contains nothing more than the past, and what is found in the effect was already in the cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-bergson/the-present-contains-nothing-more-than-the-past-and-what-is-found-in/) [Henri Bergson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-bergson/) > [Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/depression-is-merely-anger-without-enthusiasm/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [I always fight better when my opponent's angry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-haye/i-always-fight-better-when-my-opponent-s-angry/) [David Haye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-haye/) > [ “Where there are kashays (anger-pride-deceit-greed), there is worldly life. As long as anger-pride-deceit-greed exist; one is a sansaari \[living a worldly life\] regardless of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-there-are-kashays-anger-pride-deceit-greed-there-is-worldly/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) [Browse all 7,469 Anger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Anger can be a good thing. It's a mechanism that your brain uses to get you out of situations that are bad for you. But in terms of leading a peaceful life, it is not very productive.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tara Westover" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/anger-can-be-a-good-thing-it-s-a-mechanism-that-your-brain-uses-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anger" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/anger-can-be-a-good-thing-it-s-a-mechanism-that-your-brain-uses-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea1/tara-westover-8275_anger_anger-can-be-a-good-thing-it-s-a-mechani_113943.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea1/tara-westover-8275_anger_anger-can-be-a-good-thing-it-s-a-mechani_113943.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea1/tara-westover-8275_anger_anger-can-be-a-good-thing-it-s-a-mechani_113943.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Anger can be a good thing. It's a mechanism that your brain uses to get you out of situations that are bad…” — Tara Westover", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Tara Westover", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Anger can be a good thing....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/anger-can-be-a-good-thing-it-s-a-mechanism-that-your-brain-uses-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/anger-can-be-a-good-thing-it-s-a-mechanism-that-your-brain-uses-to/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```