What's the difference between ranting and sharing suffering?

Rather than add to the last thread and derail/feed it further- I thought I'd start a new thread lol, :silly:

'Oh no!' I hear you cry! Not another rant!

Tbh- I find this 'ranting' thread a little amusing (and I hope for the majority it will be a little amusing in a month when one looks back on it all...)

And well, while this is a thread about another thread, I don't want this thread to be treated as another rant about people ranting... ^{(or ranting about people ranting about other people) (or any other confusing combination of ranting about... ha)}

Anyway- question- what's the difference between ranting and sharing suffering? Is there a difference?

I believe there is one- ranting implies (in my mind) the need to express yourself without judgement. It can be seen as perhaps a negative if you linger on the thoughts (bear in mind ranting is usually about being in pain- and some of these thoughts just go in circles)... Sharing pain however we generally see as a positive- a pain shared is a pain halved or whatever the quote is... It might just be the connection of expressing yourself and having someone respond to you... But I'd like to suggest that these two ideas- ranting and sharing pain are different ways of looking at the same thing.

When we share pain- It makes me think of Empathy like this-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Evwgu369Jw

When we rant (to others or ourselves)- I think it means less interested in actually moving out of those emotions because they are so present to us.

So what are your thoughts on ranting/sharing pain? Are they the same thing? What do you guys think about it all?

I'd also like to draw your attention to this thread- http://www.templeofthejediorder.org/forum/open-discussions/105316-the-grateful-thread?limitstart=0&start=10

Let's rage when we're raging and let's be grateful when we're grateful. And when you're neither- practise the one you think will benefit you and the people around you best...

This might have already be said- but if people here want to share pain- find someone on here you trust to talk to them about it. If you want to share your story widely to gather feedback- post it in a thread if you like. But remember we can also be grateful for things and so let's post and share the good stuff too,

Sorry for the rambling- I'm not sure but I hope I made some sense!

Have a nice day/night!

I think Ranting is just an easy, fly off the handle, "Oh im just ranting!" word to use. After all "Oh, Im just sharing suffering!" isn't as gratifying :laugh: Kind of like saying "Oh Twiddle Sticks!" Vs "Shit!!!" after stubbing your toe. In the moment, you need an expression that equal the amount of pain you felt. "Shit." is a very strong, explicit, harsh word that matches the very strong, explicit feeling you get when stubbing your toe. More gratifying then a silly word that make light of your painful situation with "Twiddle Sticks." And, like the word "Shit" The word "Ranting" can have more than one meaning. It can be bad, it can be good, it can be somewhere in-between. Words, have multiple meanings and if we spent time trying to interrogate them out....we would be here all day.


To give an example of a double meaning rant:

Friday the school sent reminders to parents telling us our kids needed to have Coats, gloves, hats, and boots. We only had half the supplies for winter and was late on the winter shopping rounds. So we went saturday. We found half of what we need....but our oldest was still short boots and a coat. My husband said "No matter, our daughters will be ready with everything they need for school before monday." That of course was good enough for me. We went home and all was good. Even in the morning, we snuggled close and talked about what we were planning to do for the day. Go to the store, get the remaining items we needed for the week. Eat out at a local restaurant.

All was going beautifully. The day was chill and perfect. I even found out that our WIC reset which mean free food!! Happy to give my husband happy news I told him as we were heading to the restaurant.

We hadn't eatten any food for the whole day in anticipation for our trip. And when my husband is hungry...he loses sight of his patience and kindness. He got angry. Really angry. "I thought we were going to the Restaurant!" of course trying to reason with him when he is angry is a waist of breathe even though I tried to remind him we talked about it. Deep down he knew I was right...but was still angry about it. The day went down hill from there and he threw his tantrum. "Spending more money" and "we will just make food at home instead" and on and on. Every action he made was jerky, aburpt and angry and it pretty much ruined the rest of our day. Even when he tried to make it up to me by taking the kids out so that I could take a bath and watched movies with me before bed.....the moment another "Bad" situation arose (Our furnace acting odd) he went back to being angry and "Vented" that anger out on anything that was in the way. We went to bed on very tense terms and slept horribly for the night.

---

Now. One form of "Venting" was bad. It was angry, harmful to things around him, and changed the spirit of the evening because he couldn't control his temper. Vs....my words up top telling you about our night is expressing my own form of "Venting" I was hurt, I was sad, I frustrated and maybe a little angry myself because he never used to be this way...He never lost control of his anger so quickly over such stupid little things. But I know WHY he is this way and I don't blame him....I just need a chance to let my own feelings and emotions out, a chance to be allowed a moment a chance to cry and and say "FRACK!!!" but in a safe, constructive, and supportive environment where I am not hurtting anyone and can come back out and breathe more freely for it.

Typing what I did wasn't me dwelling on my anger and making it worse. It made me feel better. Its off my chest and I can go watch Once Upon a Time now

Its all about how we effect others. One method is harmful. The other is releasing. They are both the same thing.

The only difference I can see is if people want to hear it or not.

Attitude, both the sender and the reciever.

There is a difference in laying my pain and frustration on the people around me in a way that is toxic to my social environment and reaching out for support from people I trust. And a million things in between.

Also, I figure the rant thread is no great harm, as one is not obliged to read it. The writer gets whatever pleasure cones of venting and I can leave myself out if it.