He took over anger to intimidate subordinates, and in time anger

Host: The room was still, a quiet energy filling the space. Jack sat at the table, his fingers lightly tapping on his cup as he read something on his phone. Jeeny, sitting across from him, noticed his thoughtful expression and set her book aside, sensing something had caught his attention.

Jeeny: (gently) “You look like you’re reflecting on something. What’s on your mind?”

Jack: (looking up slowly, his voice soft) “I was just thinking about a quote from Milan Kundera. He said, ‘He took over anger to intimidate subordinates, and in time anger took over him.’ It struck me how anger, when used as a tool, can slowly begin to consume you. What starts as a way to control others can eventually end up controlling you.”

Host: Jeeny’s expression softens as she considers the meaning of the quote. The room feels quieter now, as if they’re both reflecting on the consequences of using negative emotions as a source of power.

Jeeny: “It’s such a powerful thought, isn’t it? Using anger as a form of control may seem effective at first, but eventually it becomes a double-edged sword. The more you rely on anger to manage others, the more it seeps into your own life, shaping how you react and how you feel. What starts as a strategy for intimidation becomes something that defines you, something you can’t turn off.”

Jack: (nodding) “Exactly. It’s like Kundera is saying that anger, when used to manipulate, doesn’t stay in one place. It expands, it takes root, and soon you’re no longer controlling it — it’s controlling you. That person becomes defined by the anger they’ve used to control their environment.”

Host: Jeeny’s gaze softens, and she looks out the window for a moment, clearly reflecting on the deeper implications of the quote. The conversation feels more intimate now, as they both think about the long-term impact of negative emotions.

Jeeny: “It’s a reminder that emotions, especially ones like anger, aren’t just things we can use when we need them. They shape our character. If we constantly rely on anger to assert power or control, we lose touch with how we truly want to be. We end up letting that anger dictate our reactions, decisions, and even relationships.”

Jack: “Yeah, and it’s easy to fall into that trap. Anger can feel like a way to gain control in a world that feels overwhelming or chaotic. But what we don’t realize is that it’s a trap that keeps tightening around us, slowly shifting us away from the person we want to be. It becomes our default, until it’s not just something we use — it’s part of who we are.”

Host: Jeeny smiles softly, her fingers curling around her cup as she considers the complexity of Kundera’s words. The room feels warmer now, as if the conversation has deepened their understanding of how emotions can shape us, both positively and negatively.

Jeeny: “Maybe it’s about finding healthier ways to channel our emotions, especially anger. Instead of letting it control us, we can choose to acknowledge it and release it, rather than letting it take over our lives. There’s power in emotional self-regulation, in choosing how we respond.”

Jack: (grinning) “Exactly. The goal isn’t to suppress emotions, but to understand them and decide how we want to use them — to make sure they don’t end up using us.”

Host: The conversation settles into a peaceful silence, the realization that emotions like anger, while natural, need to be understood and controlled rather than allowed to control us. Milan Kundera’s words are a reminder that using anger as a tool for power can have long-term consequences, not just for those around us, but for ourselves.