Summary
Montaigne explores a fascinating human tendency: when we're in pain or frustrated, we need something to blame, even if it's completely unrelated to our actual problem. He starts with a humorous example of a man with gout who finds relief by cursing at ham and sausages—not because they caused his condition, but because having a target for his anger helps him cope. This isn't just quirky behavior; it's a fundamental pattern of human psychology. When our souls are 'transported and discomposed,' we instinctively look for something to fight against, even if we have to invent it. Montaigne gives vivid examples: wounded animals attacking the weapons that hurt them, grieving people tearing their own hair, gamblers destroying cards after losing money. He escalates to historical examples of rulers literally declaring war on nature itself—Xerxes whipping the ocean, Caligula demolishing a beautiful palace. These aren't just tantrums; they reveal something deeper about how we process powerlessness. When we can't control what's really hurting us—disease, loss, bad luck—we redirect our energy toward something we can attack, even if it's pointless. Montaigne suggests this misdirection serves a purpose: it gives our emotional energy somewhere to go rather than turning completely inward. Understanding this pattern helps us recognize when we're fighting the wrong battles in our own lives, wasting energy on targets that can't actually solve our problems.
Coming Up in Chapter 5
From misplaced anger, Montaigne turns to a more calculated question of conflict: when a military commander is under siege, should he risk everything by personally negotiating with the enemy? The stakes are higher, but the psychology of decision-making under pressure remains just as complex.
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An excerpt from the original text.(~500 words)
THAT THE SOUL EXPENDS ITS PASSIONS UPON FALSE OBJECTS, WHERE THE TRUE ARE WANTING A gentleman of my country, marvellously tormented with the gout, being importuned by his physicians totally to abstain from all manner of salt meats, was wont pleasantly to reply, that in the extremity of his fits he must needs have something to quarrel with, and that railing at and cursing, one while the Bologna sausages, and another the dried tongues and the hams, was some mitigation to his pain. But, in good earnest, as the arm when it is advanced to strike, if it miss the blow, and goes by the wind, it pains us; and as also, that, to make a pleasant prospect, the sight should not be lost and dilated in vague air, but have some bound and object to limit and circumscribe it at a reasonable distance. “Ventus ut amittit vires, nisi robore densa Occurrant sylvae, spatio diffusus inani.” [“As the wind loses its force diffused in void space, unless it in its strength encounters the thick wood.”--Lucan, iii. 362.] So it seems that the soul, being transported and discomposed, turns its violence upon itself, if not supplied with something to oppose it, and therefore always requires an object at which to aim, and whereon to act. Plutarch says of those who are delighted with little dogs and monkeys, that the amorous part that is in us, for want of a legitimate object, rather than lie idle, does after that manner forge and create one false and frivolous. And we see that the soul, in its passions, inclines rather to deceive itself, by creating a false and fantastical a subject, even contrary to its own belief, than not to have something to work upon. After this manner brute beasts direct their fury to fall upon the stone or weapon that has hurt them, and with their teeth a even execute revenge upon themselves for the injury they have received from another: “Pannonis haud aliter, post ictum saevior ursa, Cui jaculum parva Lybis amentavit habena, Se rotat in vulnus, telumque irata receptum Impetit, et secum fugientem circuit hastam.” [“So the she-bear, fiercer after the blow from the Lybian’s thong- hurled dart, turns round upon the wound, and attacking the received spear, twists it, as she flies.”--Lucan, vi. 220.] What causes of the misadventures that befall us do we not invent? what is it that we do not lay the fault to, right or wrong, that we may have something to quarrel with? It is not those beautiful tresses you tear, nor is it the white bosom that in your anger you so unmercifully beat, that with an unlucky bullet have slain your beloved brother; quarrel with something else. Livy, speaking of the Roman army in Spain, says that for the loss of the two brothers, their great captains: “Flere omnes repente, et offensare capita.” [“All at once wept and tore their hair.”-Livy, xxv. 37.] ‘Tis a common practice. And the philosopher Bion said pleasantly...
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Intelligence Amplifier™ Analysis
The Road of Misdirected Rage - When We Fight the Wrong Battle
When facing powerlessness, humans instinctively redirect their anger toward unrelated but attackable targets rather than processing the real source of pain.
Why This Matters
Connect literature to life
This chapter teaches you to identify when your frustration is targeting the wrong source, saving relationships and energy.
Practice This Today
This week, notice when you feel angry and ask yourself: 'Is this person/thing actually the source of my problem, or just something I can safely attack?'
Now let's explore the literary elements.
Terms to Know
Displacement
The psychological tendency to redirect our anger or frustration onto a target that's easier to attack than the real source of our pain. Montaigne shows how we blame things that have nothing to do with our actual problem.
Modern Usage:
When you're stressed about work but snap at your family, or kick the car when it won't start.
Gout
A painful form of arthritis that was common among wealthy men in Montaigne's time, often caused by rich foods and wine. It represents suffering we can't control or cure.
Modern Usage:
Like chronic pain conditions today that flare up unpredictably and make people desperate for relief.
False objects
Things we blame or attack that aren't actually causing our problems. Montaigne argues we create these targets because we need something to fight against when we're suffering.
Modern Usage:
Blaming immigrants for economic problems, or attacking your phone when you're actually mad about a relationship.
The soul's violence
Montaigne's term for the intense emotional energy that builds up when we're in pain or frustrated. This energy has to go somewhere, so we direct it outward.
Modern Usage:
Road rage, online trolling, or any time intense emotions make us lash out at whatever's handy.
Legitimate object
The real target that deserves our anger or attention—the actual source of our problem. Montaigne notes we often can't attack the legitimate object, so we find substitutes.
Modern Usage:
The difference between being mad at your abusive boss versus taking it out on the slow cashier.
Classical examples
Montaigne frequently uses stories from ancient Greece and Rome to illustrate human behavior patterns. These give his observations historical weight and universality.
Modern Usage:
Like using historical precedents in arguments, or saying 'this has happened before' to make a point.
Characters in This Chapter
The gentleman with gout
Primary example
A man from Montaigne's region who finds psychological relief from his chronic pain by cursing at cured meats like ham and sausages. His behavior seems absurd but actually demonstrates a universal coping mechanism.
Modern Equivalent:
The person who yells at their computer when it's slow
Xerxes
Historical extreme example
The Persian king who literally ordered his soldiers to whip the ocean when a storm destroyed his bridges. Represents how even powerful people displace their rage onto impossible targets.
Modern Equivalent:
The CEO who fires everyone when the company fails due to market forces
Caligula
Historical extreme example
The Roman emperor who destroyed a beautiful palace in a fit of rage. Shows how displacement can lead to self-destructive behavior that hurts the person doing it.
Modern Equivalent:
The person who breaks their own stuff when they're angry
Plutarch
Ancient authority
The Greek philosopher Montaigne quotes about people who lavish affection on pets when they lack human relationships. Provides scholarly backing for the displacement theory.
Modern Equivalent:
The relationship expert you quote to prove your point
Key Quotes & Analysis
"In the extremity of his fits he must needs have something to quarrel with, and that railing at and cursing, one while the Bologna sausages, and another the dried tongues and the hams, was some mitigation to his pain."
Context: Explaining to his doctors why he curses at cured meats during gout attacks
This reveals the core insight of the chapter: we need targets for our pain, even absurd ones. The act of blaming something, anything, provides psychological relief even when it's completely irrational.
In Today's Words:
When I'm hurting bad, I need something to be mad at, and yelling at lunch meat actually makes me feel a little better.
"The soul, being transported and discomposed, turns its violence upon itself, if not supplied with something to oppose it, and therefore always requires an object at which to aim, and whereon to act."
Context: Montaigne explaining the psychological mechanism behind displacement
This is the chapter's central thesis: emotional energy must go somewhere. Without an external target, we turn that destructive force inward, which is even worse for our wellbeing.
In Today's Words:
When you're emotionally worked up, that energy has to go somewhere—either you find something outside yourself to blame, or you'll tear yourself apart.
"As the wind loses its force diffused in void space, unless it in its strength encounters the thick wood."
Context: A poetic metaphor comparing emotional energy to wind that needs resistance
This classical quote illustrates how our emotions, like physical forces, need something solid to push against to have impact. Without resistance, they dissipate uselessly or turn destructive.
In Today's Words:
Your anger is like wind—it needs something to hit, or it just spins around doing damage.
Thematic Threads
Powerlessness
In This Chapter
Montaigne shows how humans create false enemies when facing situations beyond their control
Development
Introduced here
In Your Life:
You might find yourself blaming coworkers for problems that stem from company-wide issues you can't influence
Emotional Regulation
In This Chapter
The chapter reveals how anger serves as a coping mechanism for processing overwhelming feelings
Development
Introduced here
In Your Life:
You might notice yourself getting irrationally angry at small things when dealing with major life stress
Self-Awareness
In This Chapter
Montaigne demonstrates the value of recognizing our own psychological patterns and defense mechanisms
Development
Building from earlier chapters about knowing oneself
In Your Life:
You might catch yourself mid-rant and realize you're actually upset about something completely different
Human Nature
In This Chapter
Shows how even powerful rulers exhibit the same basic psychological responses as ordinary people
Development
Continues theme of universal human experiences across social classes
In Your Life:
You might recognize that your boss's unreasonable demands stem from their own feelings of powerlessness
Practical Wisdom
In This Chapter
Understanding this pattern provides a tool for better managing conflicts and emotional reactions
Development
Builds on Montaigne's approach of using self-knowledge for better living
In Your Life:
You might use this awareness to pause before arguments and identify what you're really fighting about
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
- 1
Montaigne describes people attacking completely unrelated things when they're in pain—like the man cursing at sausages for his gout, or gamblers destroying cards after losing. What's really happening in these moments?
analysis • surface - 2
Why do you think our minds create these 'fake targets' when we're upset? What purpose does it serve to yell at something that didn't actually cause our problem?
analysis • medium - 3
Think about your workplace, family, or social media interactions. Where do you see people attacking the wrong target when they're really frustrated about something else entirely?
application • medium - 4
When you catch yourself getting angry at something minor—like traffic, a slow computer, or a messy house—how could you pause and ask 'What am I really fighting here?' What would change if you identified the actual source of your frustration?
application • deep - 5
Montaigne shows us that even powerful rulers like Xerxes and Caligula fell into this pattern of fighting unwinnable battles against nature itself. What does this tell us about how universal this human tendency is, and how we might have more compassion for others when they're misdirecting their anger?
reflection • deep
Critical Thinking Exercise
Track Your Misdirected Energy
For the next three days, notice when you feel frustrated or angry. Write down what triggered the feeling and what you actually did or said in response. Then ask: 'What was I really upset about?' Often you'll discover you were snapping at your kids about homework when you were actually stressed about money, or getting angry at a slow cashier when you were really frustrated about being late to something important.
Consider:
- •Pay attention to the gap between your emotional reaction and the size of the actual trigger
- •Notice if you're fighting battles you literally cannot win (like yelling at traffic or broken technology)
- •Look for patterns in what you attack versus what's actually bothering you underneath
Journaling Prompt
Write about a recent time when you got disproportionately angry at something small. What were you really fighting? How might you handle that underlying frustration differently next time?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 5: When to Trust Your Enemy
In the next chapter, you'll discover to spot when someone's stalling for advantage, and learn showing weakness can be more dangerous than fighting. These insights reveal timeless patterns that resonate in our own lives and relationships.