I mean, just having submitted a rant about all those stupid assholes that are around you every day, do you feel better and relieved because it’s out, or does your anger get worse because all that despicable scum comes into your memory one more time?
Just curious.
[sub]Mabye more of an IMHO, but Pit related, so I decided to post it here.[/sub]
That would be the point, yes. Getting it out of your system here beats taking a baseball bat to work on monday. Or wherever.
b.
Well, I’d rather use the baseball bat, but this is OK, too.
Much less likely to face prosecution here, but, agreed, Lola, I think the baseball bat a more satiisfying solution in general. Specially those aluminum ones because of that fun sound they make. TOOONNNGGG!!!
b.
Schnitte, my theory surronding people’s needs to vent are as follows.
The rant is often a method in which people can express their anger in a non-destructive manner and in doing so, provide a cathartic effect. Rather than let the anger steep and build to the point where one finds themselves on the top of a building with a high powered rifle the ranter will be able to dump their frustrations here, where the always helpful members of the Dope will assist the ranter in working out their feelings.
The methods by which the other Dopers assist can take many forms, they will often help the ranter to put things into perspective, commiserate, or tell them that they have their head up their ass and shouldn’t be getting so worked up over something like an inane television show.
On other occasions, the discussion will be hijacked completely and a rant over something like inconsiderate drivers or cel phone users will end up becoming a discussion on chocolate and boobies.
Chocolate and boobies are often enough to help one forget what was pissing them off in the first place.
Mmmm. Chocolate and boobies. Mmmmm. What was I saying?
b.
As someone who may or may not rant sometime today, yes, it helps. For me, writing this stuff out, even mentally, helps me get my thoughts in order and figure out what’s wrong. Growing up, I wasn’t allowed to be angry or hurt, so it makes a tremendous difference to me to be able to have a place where I can be. I was foolish for railing against the world’s injustices. While that may be true, at least I’ve got a bunch of other fools here. Catharis can be a good thing.
CJ
I feel better when I vent here. Usually, you can find someone who commiserates with you, and that helps. When I get pissed off, it feels good to talk to people, but if I do it to the people around me too much, they start looking at me funny. You can’t see me, so if you look at me funny, I don’t know.
Jman
Yes, I’ve found that chocalate and boobies generally can solve most of my problems.
Unless, of course, my wife catches me. If I don’t share the chocolate and/or the boobies aren’t hers, then I have a whole new set of problems.
If I rant, I usually just want someone to comiserate. It really helps to have someone say “Yeah, that does suck. You’re in the right and you deserve better.”
Of course, there’s always the chance that no one will support the rant. Indeed, there’s the chance that I’ll get a righteous flaming. But that is the beauty of this here SDMB; you posts and you takes your chances.
Ranting here has helped me tremendously. I keep most things pent up inside,which is NOT healthy, so I come here to I let it all out and then I am over it and can move on.
Being angry is a normal part of the human spectrum of emotions. Many people dispell that anger in counter productive ways which only leads to trouble. This board is an excellent alternative to beating the shit out of someone.
What especially makes it fun is to run with the rant and turn it into a work of beauty. Then when you’re done, the assholes go away, leaving behind a pearl of a post.
After all, Jimmy Buffett did that. When someone cut him off on Interstate 95, he wrote “Were You Born An Asshole (Or Did You Work At It Your Whole Life)” that’s a staple on country-bar jukeboxes across the country. And he didn’t even have to thank the asshole (or share the royalties).
Schnitte, hon, of course I feel better after I’ve ranted in the Pit, especially if I can get a virtual hug from someone in the bargain. 
I learn a lot from composing my own rants and reading other rants, and occasionally, I’d like to think that my virtual paddle and I have helped some folks see the light. [giggle] I’ve also met a lot of really nice folks in the Pit, including one of my virtual hubbies. It’s just a really nice place to hang out. And, even if I don’t get a virtual hug from someone, it’s nice to know that folks sympathize, have advice to offer, sometimes help me plan strategies for fixing the problem, or help me learn other interesting things, like how to cuss in different languages so that I may better express myself. 
I’m not a violent person, even though recently I’ve struck terror in the hearts of plenty of folks who’ve crossed paths with me. :innocent eyes:
FWIW, I understand that in general the psychiatric community is skeptical about the beneficial effects of catharsis.
Responding with anger in one situation and expressing it may increase the likelihood of expressing anger in other situations.
http://mentalhelp.net/psyhelp/chap7/chap7d.htm
Also, there exist other anger management strategies.
http://mentalhelp.net/psyhelp/chap7/
As always, YMMV. Many posters above have noted that rants are typically followed up by a mixture of responses. Addressing these responses may very well prove enlightening.
I used to get angry at the world; now I’m merely amused.
(This from a guy whose last big rant was against Rice Krispies…)
I felt better after the one I just posted.
I was really pissed off at something one of our clients did, and it was really starting to mess with my ability to work. When I wrote out my rant, I had to sit and actually think of something to say besides “[sub]fuckfuckfuck[/sub]fuckfuckfuckfuck[sup]fuckfuckfuckfuck[/sup]fuckfuckfuckfuck[sub]fuckfuckfuckfuck[/sub]fuckfuck!”, which helped to clear my head. I was laughing by the end of it, and could go back to my work.
I rant usually for amusement value, it keeps the brain functioning at a higher level than required at work (Ie I have to remember more than two things at once)
When I’m actually upset I’m usually incoherent.
I’ve given up largely on getting upset by the world. Too many stupid people doing the stupidest thing out of all of their possible choices. I’m a cynic and very easilly amused
flowbark’s caution: “Responding with anger in one situation and expressing it may increase the likelihood of expressing anger in other situations” should be heeded.
After I made a rant about a coworker who got mad at me because I told him I couldn’t do all his work for him anymore and got responses like, you go girl, and he sounds like a real jerk, and just tell him you won’t do his work anymore, I was feeling really justified and all pumped up, and one day things were still tense because of his anger towards me and another male coworker very stupidly forwarded me an e-mail between him and our computer support which back in the replies had some very unflattering and untrue things to say about me and others.
Not only was I all jazzed up about being in the right about the first coworker, I had had a little medication change, and this incompetent boob’s backstabbing REALLY pissed me off. I guess I went a little crazy. I knew I had to leave the office or freak out and on my way out to my car, ran into our Executive Director coming in. Well, I screamed and cried and cussed and accused him of allowing the men in the office to get away with bad behavior which would never be allowed in the women, declared I was through being a doormat and doing everyone’s work for them, then I went home for a really long lunch. When I got back I had to face the music, we had a little conference, I got an apology along with the computer support person, and life went on. However, my Exec now thinks **I **have some kind of problem because I had “to-dos” with two staff members inside a week.
So don’t go getting a big head when people agree with your rant, especially when your livelihood is involved. I am living proof of flowbark’s reference.