An Argument for Hate

[TheBigDog]

I think there's a distinction between "hate" and "righteous anger" although we often conflate the two notions. I think "hate" describes the desired outcome of a particular emotion - which is that you wish something was simply no more.

 

Saying "I hate this" is equivalent in my mind to saying "I wish this to be totally destroyed."

 

It is not necessarily a bad thing to want some things to be eradicated. Pollution, bigotry, poverty. It's fine to "hate" all of those things.

 

But I also think that the EMOTION of hate is subtly different from the EMOTION of righteous anger, even though we use them as synonyms frequently. (I don't think this is necessarily the "wrong" usage, but I think it confuses an issue.)

 

To my mind "hate" as in "hate crime" or "hatred" brings up an irrational wish for destruction of something that you fear. "Hate" also means that you want some particular thing or issue to be completely done away with.

 

So, I think that the word "hate" actually encompasses two (or more) separate emotions where the desired outcome is the same. You can "hate" poverty and want it to be eradicated. Or you can "hate" brown people and want them to be eradicated. One is a (relatively) reasoned and desirable outcome, and one is bigotry borne of fear and ignorance.

 

So, in this sense, hate and love are NOT opposites, because love describes several different outcomes for the same emotion, while hate describes the same outcome for several different emotions. (You can love your sister without wanting to sleep with her.)

 

TFS

I think you are making Hate too extreme. You can peacefully coexist with what you hate simply by keeping a comfortable distance. Hate does not have to imply wholesale elimination, or any elimination.

 

Bill

[TheFaithfulStone]

What qualifies as hate vs dislike a lot?

 

TFS

[HappytheStripper]

I think Hate is valid.. it shows that which is Disliked ..

 

As a Verb:

 

To regard with extreme dislike and hostility.. abhor.. abominate.. despise.. detest.. execrate.. loathe..

 

As a Noun:

 

Extreme hostility and dislike.. abhorrence.. abomination.. antipathy.. aversion.. detestation.. hatred.. horror.. loathing.. repellence.. repellency.. repugnance.. repugnancy.. repulsion.. revulsion..

 

As you may see.. there are many words that describe Hate

 

Ashley

[TheBigDog]

What qualifies as hate vs dislike a lot?

 

TFS

What is the difference between love and like-a-lot?

[HappytheStripper]

What is the difference between love and like-a-lot?

 

Lust..?? Thought I would give the answer a try .. :)

 

Ashley

[TheBigDog]

Lust..?? Thought I would give the answer a try .. :)

 

Ashley

Exactly where I was going. There is love and there is amorous-lust. There is hate and there is blood-lust. They neither love nor hate need lead to the associated lust or compulsion for ____.

 

Bill

[rocket art]

A passage from the Bhagavad Gita mentioned on "attachment and hate" rather than "love and hate."

[REASON]

To me, the opposite of love is apathy. Hatred is often used to mask deeper feelings of love when one feels embarrassed to express their love, or if they feel guilty for feeling love when they believe they shouldn't, such as in a situation of betrayal.

 

There are many different notions for what constitutes hate, and many different uses of the term. It is a natural human response whether based from fear, love, embarrassment, or simple annoyance, and it will likely never be eradicated as a form of expression.

 

What's important is not that one feels hate, but how that feeling drives them to act, and do those actions lead to an offense of another. Hate in-and-of itself is of no consequence, other than to the emotional well being of the hater. Hateful actions or comments are not welcomed. Avoiding offending others is of greater value to me than my need to outwardly express hatred.

 

Fear leads to hate; Hate leads to anger; Anger leads to suffering. - Yoda

[HappytheStripper]

To me, the opposite of love is apathy. Hatred is often used to mask deeper feelings of love when one feels embarrassed to express their love, or if they feel guilty for feeling love when they believe they shouldn't, such as in a situation of betrayal.

 

There are many different notions for what constitutes hate, and many different uses of the term. It is a natural human response whether based from fear, love, embarrassment, or simple annoyance, and it will likely never be eradicated as a form of expression.

 

What's important is not that one feels hate, but how that feeling drives them to act, and do those actions lead to an offense of another. Hate in-and-of itself is of no consequence, other than to the emotional well being of the hater. Hateful actions or comments are not welcomed. Avoiding offending others is of greater value to me than my need to outwardly express hatred.

 

Fear leads to hate; Hate leads to anger; Anger leads to suffering. - Yoda

 

Thanks for your post..

 

Although I agree with that which you say .. I disagree with the assumption that fear leads to hate.. as this may not true of all cases whereby hate is the driving force..

 

I do however agree that anger.. which is born from frustration.. leads to suffering..

 

Ashley

[HydrogenBond]

Hate is actually a blend of fear and desire. When one fears what they desire or desires what they fear, that will create hate. The traditional opposite of love and hate sort of add up to this. Love is the absence of fear. But if one is hurt in love, they often fear being hurt again, but will often retain their love and desire. You want to come and go. The tension that is formed is called hate. Hate stretches the bungie so either a rebound occurs or the tether is broken, depending on the relative strength of the love and fear.

 

When I see hate in the world, I also see love and fear. Think of it. Even a hateful racists (in a twisted way) honors his opponent by spending so much time learning about them so they can hate them as good as they can. It there wasn't a type of unconscious affinity, one would care less, and be indifferent. But at the same time there is a fear associated with all the unknown variables. The result is hate.

 

I remembers as a small child, there were a lot of same age children in the area. This divided the local subburb streets into different streets and street corners. There was hate between rival streets, with fights sometimes occurring. By the time I was in High School, these same hateful adversaries all ended up becoming friends. The love-fear=hate of childhood became friendship, as soon as the fear ended.

[HappytheStripper]

In its most simplistic form .. fear is an emotion based driving force .. initiated by a perceived risk .. and thats it ..

 

Personal fear varies and may be described by different terms in accordance with its relative degrees of emotional feelings..

 

"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." - Franklin Roosevelt

[Lancaster]

In its most simplistic form .. fear is an emotion based driving force .. initiated by a perceived risk .. and thats it ..

 

Personal fear varies and may be described by different terms in accordance with its relative degrees of emotional feelings..

 

"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." - Franklin Roosevelt

 

I love that quote. But what about irrational fears? I'd like to know more about the psychological reasons for those.

[Monomer]

I tend to think that hate is wrong. I don't think there's really any reason to actually hate someone, even if they've wronged you or have done something to make you fear them. In the case of extreme injustice I can understand that you would then feel hate for that person because of what they had done, but keeping that hate would end up destroying you. You could opt to release that hate, but it will probably end up hurting you and others, or you could somehow learn to deal with the hate in a way that releases you from its grasp. I've seen hate make people horrible and bitter. Why spend your life like that? When I start hating something, and I'm talking about that extreme hostility, I begin to feel so stressed and tense and I always end up with a migraine. I also treat those around me like crap, even if they're not the object of my hate. InfiniteNow states it well:

 

Accepting hatred within yourself, however, limits your growth as a sentient being, and the growth of those around you. Such acceptance would be the opposite of growth; it would be the nurturing of a sickness...Use your fears wisely, bring them to the fore of your awareness, but pluck hatreds from your existence like weeds from a garden. That is, of course, unless your desire is to nurture ignorance.

 

 

Now fear and anxiety are beneficial at times because it drives the "fight or flight" response. But fear and anxiety for something or someone are generally incorrectly perceived as hate, although I agree with TBD that hate is not always related to fear. Overall, it would be better to understand those fears and anxieties and to deal with them because they could easily control your life too.

 

 

But what about irrational fears? I'd like to know more about the psychological reasons for those.

 

That's been tough to find. Irrational fears are generally talked about in terms of phobias.

 

Just why a person develops a particular phobia is not always clear. There appear to be both biological and psychological reasons. Psychologists classify phobias with other anxiety-caused problems and theorize they are a response to separation or loss. Heredity appears to play a role, and so does brain chemistry. There are several physical conditions, like minor heart problems and thyroid disease, that are sometimes seen in agoraphobic people.

 

UMHS - Phobias

 

 

Despite the biological preparedness theory’s justification for being afraid of things, events, or situations, irrational fears and phobias still affect millions of people. Psychologists have found that with irrational fears, common physical symptoms (sweaty palms, increased heart rate) are triggered for some other reason, such as a chemical or psychological one.

“It’s like your body is reacting to normal things, but then for whatever reason it decides ‘Hey this is bad and I need to react to it!’” Popovich said. Unfortunately, psychologists have not found the definitive reason why our bodies decide to fear what most would consider “normal.”

 

SpeakeasyMag.com

[Lancaster]

Thanks for those.

 

I am mildly arachnophobic, and I'm not sure what that has to do with separation or loss. . .

[Monomer]

I am very arachnophobic. Actually, I generally say that I *hate* spiders, but I'm really quite scared of them. But, according to that second link, a fear of spiders is justified because it's "biological preparedness" - they can pose a danger to our survival.

 

However, what my foot phobia has to do with separation or loss I can't figure out.

[Lancaster]

I am very arachnophobic. Actually, I generally say that I *hate* spiders, but I'm really quite scared of them. But, according to that second link, a fear of spiders is justified because it's "biological preparedness" - they can pose a danger to our survival.

 

However, what my foot phobia has to do with separation or loss I can't figure out.

 

Foot phopia? You mean you don't like feet? I find them disgusting, but I'm not afraid of them. :)

[Monomer]

Foot phopia? You mean you don't like feet? I find them disgusting, but I'm not afraid of them. :)

 

Well, my mum and sister would always give me a hard time about my "foot phobia" because if their feet came anywhere near me I'd be off in a flash. Now that I think about it I'm not really scared of them, but like you I find them disgusting.