Anger is unpleasant most of the time, but in some circumstances it can actually feel good. It is often unpleasant because it is an emotion that demands action, and yet we aren't always able to act on it. Bullying, for instance, induces anger in the victim, but the bullying dynamic is predicated on the basis of an imbalance of power, in which the victim feels powerless to retaliate.
Like all emotions, anger fulfills a function. It is tempting to dismiss all negative emotions as undesirable and try to do without them, but they are there for a reason and it is therefore impossible to negate them completely. In the case of anger, its natural functions include helping us fight threats when the need arises, as well as attaining a goal that is being challenged.
Acting on the anger by attacking the offender, which is what our nature sometimes wants, may in fact make matters worse, so an inability to act on the anger immediately isn't always a handicap. It has been shown that anger can make us impulsive and that decisions made while angry have a habit of backfiring. When possible and appropriate, it will be preferable to try to address the root of the conflict that is generating the anger and reach a resolution through negotiation and perhaps compromise.
As a rule, it is generally better to channel and manage anger productively than to indulge in explosive angry reactions, but there are instances in which anger can be exploited to our advantage. A recent paper published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology explains how anger improves goal attainment in the presence of challenges. It increases arousal and focus and by doing so facilitates moving forward in a difficult situation. The authors of the paper comment on how anger helps coordinate the necessary responses that will make us ready for action. So if one is feeling indecisive or resentful and stuck in an unsatisfactory situation, anger can make us feel more determined and courageous and therefore better able to tackle the aggressor, or face the challenge in question. Even then, the anger needs to be modulated and contained by social norms and common sense, of course.
As always, negative emotions are an integral part of our nature. They evolved with us in order to facilitate our survival, so we are stuck with them. Anger can be very unpleasant, but it may also help us win the day.
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