The Destructive and the Transformative Potentials: An Analysis of Anger and Resentment in Contemporary Times

This paper examines how anger and resentment, as complex emotional forces, reflect deep historical tensions and influence contemporary social dynamics in multifaceted ways. It challenges the view of emotions as solely psychological factors, demonstrating their public and interindividual nature. Anger and resentment, often tied to experiences of injustice, shape cognitive interpretations and interpersonal relationships, leading to aggression/destructive consequences. The study underscores the need to recognize the social dimension of emotions for a comprehensive understanding of collective dynamics. By heuristically applying these concepts to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the study illustrates how unaddressed emotions can perpetuate cycles of violence, creating a collective memory of oppression and resentment. It also explores the ambivalent nature of these emotions, cautiously identifying potential opportunities for fostering positive social change when they are properly acknowledged and managed. Although it is challenging to have adequate interpretive tools to fully understand the present and predict the future, especially in this field, the findings emphasize the importance of an emotional analysis of social facts to delve into the root causes of conflict. The study suggests that constructively engaging with reactive emotions can be pivotal in facilitating prosocial transformation.