Appendix 3: Common Manifestations of Self: Defective Emotions - Resentment

This is one in a series of tables featuring the main emotions discussed in PTP Step 4. Other emotions will be treated in subsequent works on other Steps. Except for resentment, the emotions listed are not necessarily defective. They become defective when, under the influence of our defects of character, our concerns and/or the perceptions of how those concerns are affected, become distorted. Those defects and distortions are the subjects of our inventory. For a discussion of each emotion, the underlying character defects, and their corrective character virtues, see the corresponding chapters in the book and, as they become available, the posts under Emotional Sobriety on this site. For accompanying tables of character defects, see Appendix 4 on this site. The tables are intended to help us take inventory using the guides to Inventory Type A and/or B. 

Resentment

Definition

Resentment is a form of anger and thus the above definition of anger applies equally to it. The difference between the two is mainly one of duration and expression. Resentment is typically a smoldering, low-burning, lasting, and repressed form of anger. It results from holding on to (nursing, indulging) a perceived past injury, or from an inability to express the anger openly to and punish or hurt the perceived offender, who holds a superior position (age, authority, control, power, etc.). In either case, the anger remains unresolved and can flare up again.

Related
Terms &
Emotions

Related to perception of offense: same perception of offense as anger, but in some cases a different perception of offender: administrator, authority, boss, bureaucrat, control, director, employer, government, institution, judge, landlord, law, lawyer, leader, manager, minister, officer, official, older brother or sister, owner, parent, police, power, regulations, rules, supervisor, teacher, the establishment, the system

Related to feelings and emotions: animosity, animus, antagonism, antipathy, aversion, ax to grind, bad blood, bad feelings, bile, bitter, bitterness, bone to pick, consternation, crossed, cynicism, discomposure, dismay, disquiet, dissatisfaction, disgruntlement, discontent, envy, enmity, friction, grievance, grouchy, grouchiness, grudge, grudging, hard feelings, hardness of heart, hostility, ill-disposed, ill will, indignation, irritation, jealousy, malevolence, malice, maliciousness, miff, mordacity, mordant, pique, rancor, resentfulness, revengeful, slow burn, sore, soreness, spite, spiteful, spitefulness, spleen, stew, sullen, surly, vengeance, vengefulness, vindictiveness, wounded feelings

Underlying 
Character
Defects

Envy, impatience, ingratitude, injustice, jealousy, intemperance, intolerance, pride, unacceptance, unforgiveness

Corrective
Character
Virtues

Acceptance, compassion, forgiveness, gratitude, humility, justice, kindness, patience, temperance, tolerance 

For other emotions, please click on the appropriate link: Anger, Anxiety, Fear, Guilt, Remorse

For appendix 1, 2, or 4, please click on its link.