BY BIKRAM VOHRA
This is not an earth shattering, world shaking observation. Just a thought. All of us have a pet peeve, something that is our red rag and enrages us beyond normal limits. It could be simply someone slurping his food or fibbing openly or spraying malice or killing your time by being unpunctual but we do have that ‘intolerable’ element that kicks in.
Mine is a simple one. I see red if someone blows the horn the moment the traffic light goes to amber. It makes me surge with an adrenalin come anger mix that is toxic and instant. I don’t know if there is some scientific or medical explanation for it because it is an almost blinding anger and at that moment you can lose control of yourself. That light hasn’t even gone green yet but the blare begins, no patience whatsoever, it is almost like a high decibel slur on you, an insult. To that extent it is scary because what that horn blower has done is pierce your so called civilised veneer and spiked that primitive urge to lash out.
Sometimes I do lash out. Either verbally or by rude gesturing or even getting into a glaring contest.
The rational part of me says cool it, the issue isn’t large enough to get so het up and raise your blood pressure.
But the irrational part wins hands down. It doesn’t last long thankfully, just a few seconds but it is a scary fury because it is so consuming.
Think about it. You must have something that drives you crazy. And you wonder in a moment of introspection, how easy it is to move from normal conduct to an uncontrollable urge to hit back.