"Many a Truth Is Spoken in Anger"

Key points

A client recently explored this proverb after a hurtful conversation with her brother.

We discussed that hurtful words may reflect anger, not genuine beliefs or lasting views.

Her brother may have been in "angry mode," a frame of mind where perception may be skewed.

Exploring different explanations can help clarify what was really meant.

“Many a truth is spoken in anger ” is a proverb, familiar to a lot of us who grew up in American culture. It suggests that people often reveal genuine, perhaps hidden truths when they are angry and that they speak honestly when provoked or feeling hostile. This tendency may be true some (or all) of the time for a given person. But often, what they say when angry is not what the person believes when they’re feeling calm.

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