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Feeling angry at the moment? Perhaps it’s the heat, or the pent-up frustration of daily Zoom meetings that should have been emails. Maybe it’s an in-law who knows which buttons to press. Or maybe it’s 2023 and the grapes of wrath can no longer be ignored.
It’s probably why rage rooms have become so popular. The idea is simple: A room is filled with everyday objects – ceramics, glass, furniture, gadgets, electronics and the like. Customers suit up in safety gear (a helmet, gloves, face shield, jumpsuit) and choose from hammers, rods and other tools to break, smash and attempt to destroy the objects, letting off some steam. Forget store signs that say, “You break it, you bought it”. At these establishments, you bought it precisely to break it.
Indians have been going on smashing sprees ever since the country’s first rage room, the delightfully named Café Bhadaas, opened in Indore, Madhya Pradesh,in 2017. Patrons can break a set of six teacups and saucers for as little as ₹150. To go at something bigger, an air-conditioner, TV set or refrigerator, costs between ₹200 and ₹800. There are rage rooms around the world, and in Delhi, Hyderabad and Bengaluru now. Some charge by the hour, others by the object. But they all promise the same thing – a safe space for anger management.
Could we be feeding the beast in our attempts to tame it?
“It has always intrigued me that, as human species, we have come a long way and built this great society,” says Nikhil Kaithwas, doctoral researcher at the department of anthropology, University of Delhi. “Instances like this are where I think we have still kept one part of our prehistoric past, this tendency to be violent and aggressive.”
Several studies indicate that physical violence can be cathartic, triggering positive emotions in the perpetrator. It’s when those emotions are legitimised, even through safe channels, that problems begin. “On the consumer’s end, it can lead to the feeling of pleasure, power and dominance for which they pay,” Kaithwas says. “Can such a form of venting out violence lead to addiction? Are there ways to monitor if it’s impacting the customers differently, or is it just a recreational activity like arcade games at the mall?”
Medical professionals who study and treat violent outbursts say that the stress-release they provide is typically short-lived. Smashing china on the regular is hardly going to make one’s problems go away. More worryingly, the dopamine rush trigged by a violent act can build up to an addiction. And make a person angrier.
“When you get angry and condition your brain for violence, it can make you habituated,” says Nand Kumar, professor of psychiatry at Delhi’s AIIMS. “People are trying to capitalise on the idea of anger management. Notably, they have been using the term catharsis inappropriately. The idea is completely different from what these rage rooms offer.”
Gleeful customers then will likely shatter their inbuilt coping mechanisms, along with the fridge and dinner table. Kumar recommends going for a walk and taking up running or dancing instead.
It’s also worrying that women make up a large part of the customer base. “It highlights the need for a broader societal shift towards addressing gender-based violence and toxic masculinity,” says mental-health therapist Arouba Kabir. “It’s okay to feel angry and stressed at times, but it’s important to address these emotions in a constructive and healthy way for our own well-being and the well-being of those around us.
Besides, what’s the point of all that plate smashing if you can’t smash the patriarchy?
Building up
It started with a crash. In 2008, after the global economic downturn, rage rooms were set up for Japanese workers to find some relief from the long working hours and stressed office environment.
The idea quickly spread to the US, United Kingdom, Serbia, and Argentina. At some rage rooms customers can also bring in their own objects.
There are physical risks too, Customers often injure themselves in the process, probably making them angrier.
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