Indignation — the fair-go alarm

(Tertiary emotion)

At a glance

  • What it’s saying: “That’s not fair — fix it.”

  • What it wants: Name the wrong, protect the person or standard, and take a proportionate step to set it right.

  • Use it well: Check the facts, state the rule that was breached, act in a way that helps more than it harms.

  • Watch-outs: Outrage theatre, online pile-ons, mixing envy with “ethics,” burning yourself out.

  • Time focus: Present

What indignation is

Indignation is anger with a compass. It shows up when someone else is copping it unfairly or when a shared rule is being bent for the powerful — queue-jumping, gaslighting, rorts, bullying, scapegoating. It’s different from personal anger (my boundary), moral disgust (“that’s foul/contaminating”), and contempt (“you are beneath me”). Indignation says, “this isn’t a fair go — do something sensible.”

Biogenic lens

Primary domain: Self-Organisation.

In the triad: Indignation mainly serves Self-Organisation — it defends group norms and status-fairness so people can live and work together without being trampled. It also lends short fuel via Self-Production, and it pushes Self-Correction when you turn the heat into a specific remedy.

What it’s optimising
Self-Production: A sharp energy bump that wants action now. Useful for speaking up or stepping in; draining if you stay revved. Down-shift first (long exhale, soften jaw/shoulders) so your words land.
Self-Organisation: Re-sets the map: what rule was broken (safety, honesty, consent, queueing, credit), who’s affected, what standard we’re enforcing. Swap vague fury for a clean line: “When X happens, Y gets hurt. From now on, the rule is Z.”
Self-Correction: Converts feeling into repair: support the person harmed, report properly, change a process, set a clear consequence — and avoid punishments that only create new harm.

How it feels in the body

Heat in the chest and face, forward posture, clear voice (or a wobble you can steady), urge to step up or speak. Often followed by a second wave — sadness for the person, or anger at a system — and then a choice.

Common triggers & what they’re really about

  • Punching down: bullying, mockery, pile-ons, racist/sexist “jokes” → protect dignity and safety.

  • Cheating/corruption: rorts, plagiarism, cooked numbers, credit theft → protect fairness and trust.

  • Abuse of power: silencing, coercion, secrecy → protect consent and due process.

  • Scapegoating & smear: gossip-as-truth, dog-whistles → protect truth and reputations.

  • Rigged rules: policies that punish the powerless → push for fair rules, not just loud feelings.

Alcohol, poor sleep and doom-scrolling make indignation louder and sloppier. Rest and facts make it better.

Look-alikes (so you don’t treat the wrong thing)

  • Anger: personal boundary. Use both: you set limits; indignation sets shared limits.

  • Moral disgust: “that’s foul.” Handy for hygiene; risky when used on people.

  • Contempt: cold superiority; kills cooperation.

  • Resentment: past unfairness you’re still carrying; needs terms, not slogans.

  • Envy in costume: status sting dressed as virtue; check your motives.

  • Moral panic: loud certainty on thin facts.

How people have explained indignation (very briefly)

It’s a norm-enforcement emotion: groups survive by checking free-riders and protecting the vulnerable. It bonds people when it’s proportionate and fair; it fractures them when it turns into humiliation or tribal punishment.

A clip that shows it well

The Castle (AUS) — Daryl Kerrigan’s “It’s the vibe” against a dodgy land grab. Small people, clear standard, decent remedy.
(Alt: Spotlight — indignation channelled into patient, factual repair.)

Try this when indignation flares

The 60-second fairness check

  1. Name it: “This is indignation.”

  2. Facts first: what happened, to whom, witnessed by whom?

  3. Name the rule/value: safety / consent / honesty / fair credit / no slurs.

  4. Pick a proportionate step: calm call-in, back the target, record/report, change a setting.

The 10-minute “issue → standard → step” page

  • Issue (facts, one paragraph): ___

  • Standard to uphold (one line): ___

  • Nearest locus of control: what you can actually influence.

  • Small step now: ___ (support person, email manager, lodge report, change roster rule)

  • Next step if needed: ___ (escalate, policy change, external complaint)

  • No-harm rule: no doxxing, no humiliation, no pile-ons.

The weekly rep (sustainable, not performative)

  • One constructive action on a cause you care about.

  • One rest/refuel block so you last.

  • One learning bite (law, policy, history) to sharpen future action.

Using indignation without making a mess

With yourself

  • Aim to help, not just to vent. If it doesn’t reduce harm or improve a rule, rethink it.

  • Fact-check before you post. “I might be wrong” is grown-up ethics.

  • Rotate roles; burnout turns good people brittle.

With family and friends

  • Model call-in before call-out when it’s safe: “Mate, that joke lands on people. Can we bin it?”

  • Teach kids standards + courage + proportion.

  • Back the person targeted first; debates can wait.

At work

  • Use channels that work: Issue → Impact → Request in writing; document; cc sparingly.

  • Leaders: protect whistle-blowers, fix processes, reward clean accountability over public floggings.

  • If culture won’t change, plan an exit while keeping your dignity.

In the community

  • Pick one lane (not ten). Join people already doing the slow, boring good.

  • Don’t feed mobs. No doxxing, no humiliation. Push for proportionate consequences and fair process.

Myths to retire

  • “If you’re not furious, you’re complicit.” Steady, useful action beats heat.

  • “Ends justify means.” Humiliation breeds backlash; fairness builds change.

  • “More outrage = more impact.” Often it equals more noise.

Keep a simple eye on it (two-minute log)

  • Issue: ___

  • Rule/value at stake: ___

  • Action I took (proportionate?): ___

  • Outcome: helped / neutral / harmed

  • Next small step or release: ___

When to worry (and what to do)

  • You’re angry most days, sleep’s wrecked, relationships are fraying.

  • You’re joining pile-ons or sharing identifying info.

  • Activism is your only identity; burnout or cynicism is looming.

  • Vicarious trauma from constant exposure to harm.

If that’s you: step back, rotate duties, see your GP or a psychologist, and reconnect with ordinary joys. If safety is at risk, call 000 (AU).

A short story

On a tram, two men start mocking a teen for his accent. Miri feels the heat rise. She takes a breath and steps to the teen’s side: “Hey mate, sit with me.” To the men, calm and firm: “Enough. Leave him be.” She hits the stop button, asks the driver to radio security, and notes the time/car number. She messages a bystander group chat to submit a report later. No speeches, no slurs back. The boy gets off two stops later and thanks her. Indignation did its job — protect, document, and move toward a clean remedy.

Wrap-up

Indignation is the fair-go alarm. Keep your facts straight, your tone steady, and your goal repair over performance. Protect people, set clear standards, and choose actions that make tomorrow fairer than today.