CatharticLament

Though two different words, together, the words Cathartic Lament represents a new movement in which a healthy purging of ones inner being is done by one's public expression. It is the releasing of emotions in a loud, sourrowful manner which results in a feeling of renewal and release. This page is an explanation of the term catharticlament which has been seen in various places on the world wide web. Although religious in nature, the term has become a way for people in general to release their anger and pain.

Cathartic: Inflected Form(s): plural ca·thar·ses its etymology is New Latin, from the Greek katharsis which derived from kathairein which means cleanse or purge.

Catharses is the act of purgation.
This act is the purification or purgation of the emotions (as pity and fear) primarily through art. It is a purification or purgation that brings about spiritual renewal or release from tension. This is also beneficial in the elimination of a complex (outside force) by bringing it to consciousness and affording it expression.

Lament: Its etymology is Middle English -lementen, from Middle French & Latin; Middle French lamenter, from Latin lamentari, from lamentum, noun, lament

To lament means to mourn aloud : wail. It is an act to express sorrow, mourning, or regret strongly.

To lament, is often seen as a religious experience. Campus Ministries recite the origin and purpose of laments.

Lament is an ancient practice. They riddle the psalms. Some are very dark. But ultimately they are not expressions of despair. Despair assumes that nothing can be done about the mess the world’s in. A lament differs in that it is addressed to God, the source of hope.
By and large, laments follow a basic formula: (1) they begin by addressing God, (2) they present their complaint (i.e. they tell God what’s wrong), (3) there is a confession of trust, the author remains determined to believe in the faithfulness of God, (4) they make a petition in which they declare what they would like God to do and/or why God should do it, (5) this is followed by words of assurance, reminders of God’s goodness and faithfulness, (6) finally they typically close with a vow of praise. This praise indicates that the process of lamenting can be healing and cathartic. Things fall back into perspective.

Likewise, according to Campus Ministries, We lament because of alienation. Humanity was created to live in loving, life-giving relationship with God, ourselves, one another, and the creation. But we live in a world in which God is hidden, we are fragmented, our relationships are often tenuous and shallow, and the creation suffers exploitation.

Cathartic Laments are often seen and witnessed within a religious gathering as the mournful expression of the purification ones soul, a spiritual renewal if you will. Recently, it has become a way to express regret and emotions related to any outside force which affects one's life. In the 21st century, with the invent and popularizing of the internet, many users of the World Wide Web use blogging or popular online communities such as myspace as a means for cathartic laments. One popular internet persona who 'laments' about things that outrage him is Maddox.

Another website, CatharticLament.com, operated by employees of various adult themed night clubs, uses the internet as a way to purge their lives of the day to day encounters of clientele and female counterparts, strippers. Although the website does delve deep within the atrocities seen within the strip club environment, the site does lament about current trends in news and politics.

Other catharticlaments are websites such as I Hate Starbucks ,
I hate Best Buy, , and The Consumerist, , who openly laments his disgusts about various consumer products and retailers.

With the ever expanding world of online messaging, blogging, forum writing and expression, public opinion, or cathartic laments will become more popular, widely known and recognized.

Sources:

"Cathartic." Merriam-Webster. 11 Jan. 2008 .

"Lament." Merriam-Webster. 11 Jan. 2008 .

Roeda, Mark. "Lament in Advent." Campus Chapel. 5 Dec. 2007. University of Michigan. 12 Jan. 2008 .

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