Frank Discussion on Hate

[tackattack]

I'd like to open a dialogue to discuss the origins and explinations for Hate in an effort to perhaps open some perspectives up and share perspective.

I have heard before that Hate comes from fear.. I think it was yoda. I think Hate comes from predoninantly envy or resentment. I think that some theists live in a world of fear. It's goverened by rules to keep you out of "eternal damnation" and they're probably envious of the lack of rules and structure some atheists and theists live a good life by. A more equanimical approach would be to belive in a more Buddhist Nirvana approach and say that heaven is this place of eternal freedom from pain and hell woul be everything else that exists eternally.

I welcome critiques or someone taking the atheist perspective as well.

[Eilonnwy]

I think it depends on what type of hate you're talking about. If somebody killed my mother, especially if it was first degree murder, then yeah, I'd likely hate this person. However, there's another type of hate, people hating blacks for their skin, gays for their orientation, etc...

The latter, I think, extends from human's social nature which has us form in groups/tribes and as a result we begin to hate people different from us because they are not part of our group. I don't think hate/prejudice is as simple as that, but that's where I think it originates from.

[Watson]

I think to understand hate, one also has to understand love. The two are virtually one and the same, yet complete opposites by their nature. Think about it:

Love is an extremely powerful attachment,
Hate is also an extremely powerful attachment.

Love motivates the best actions possible in us,
Hate motivates the worst actions possible in us.

Love is loving another person despite all of their flaws,
Hate is hating another person because of all of their flaws.

and finally, hate is what happens when one spurns love away, it is the rejection of all of those good things that love brings. When you turn away love for no reason other than to turn it away, I believe it becomes a very wicked and corrupt sort of love*, one that isn't emotionally healthy at all. I.e.- hated.

*Similar to LULZ' corruption of L-O-L

[Eilonnwy]

Hate is hating another person because of all of their flaws.

That is a rather pithy, and ultimately too simplistic view of hate.

By what "flaws" does a bigot hate in a black person? Is skin color a flaw?

[tackattack]

OK let's work on defining hate then. The hate I'm referencing would be "To have a great aversion to, with a strong desire that evil should befall the person toward whom the feeling is directed; to dislike intensely; to detest; as, to hate one's enemies; to hate hypocrisy." [1913 Webster] Or "inflamed with extreme dislike"[same]. You can hate action, intention, people or even abstract concepts like blus, etc.

So we'll not get into the results of Hate, or Love it's opposite, just the origins of hate. You can hate african americans, or be prejudiced to them, there is a distinction and I'm talking about the former.

I would say that you hate the person who killedyour mother (continuing your analogy) because of your resentment of that person for what they've taken from your reality. They truly did nothing to you directly for you to hate, they didn't rape you or punch you, most of theese hates are indirect or based off of prejudiced. They're the ones based off of resentment and envy.

Even if it was a direct personal violation, then it would still be based off of a resentment for violating your person, ideals, etc.

Let's look at resentment: In a bad sense, strong displeasure; anger; hostility provoked by a wrong or injury experienced. [1913 Webster]
But the primary definition is 1. The act of resenting (which is to feel). [1913 Webster] or 2. The state of holding something in the mind as a subject of contemplation, or of being inclined to reflect upon something; a state of consciousness; conviction; feeling; impression. (which is now obsolete in today's vernacular)

If we use the original definition for resentment which I'll summarize as "the act of feeling or thinking on an experience, usually in a negative way". What would it take for you to not harbor that resentment thus ridding you of the hate? Can a Robot hate? If there was a drug that temporarily disabled your emotional ability what would happen after it wore off?? Would you still hate your rapist?

Agree / disagree / comment?

[Edwardo Piet]

What about meta-hate? The hatred of hatred itself? It kinda spirals into a vicious circle and gets worse and worse, perhaps? Perhaps the cure is meta-love? The love of love? The more you love the more you love?

Thoughts? Lol.

EvF

[bozo]

Can't help as regards the origins but as a word it pretty well expresses a human feeling towards someone/something, whatever the motivating factor(s) may be.

[Paul the Human]

The word 'hate' has many connotations, that's part of the problem this discussion has going in. I hate mushrooms, for example. I don't simply dislike them. I fucking hate them. That kind of hate harms no one, so it's really a non-issue.

The kind of hatred that fuels racism, or burns at core of right wing political demonstrations, or murders abortion doctors... that kind of hatred doesn't come from any one place or cause. But what's at the heart of it? I think that's the real question Tack is asking, but I'm not sure there is an answer... unless it's fear. Each form that hatred takes is caused by different things, but fear does seem to be a factor in most of them. Fear of the unknown. Fear of that which is different. Fear of being usurped from one's place in the world. Fear of being wrong. Fear of change. Etc.

Besides... would Yoda lie?

[Minimalist]

I love mushrooms.....particularly in a marsala wine sauce!

[Edwardo Piet]

I love mushrooms too. But if I hated them I do not think that hate would come from fear.

I hate religion but I'm certainly not afraid of it itself. Maybe I should be though.

Yoda says some fucking stupid things you know. "There is no try, there is only do" - Yoda.....

...
...

Yoda you asswipe trying is just attempted effort, it is doing, it's a word in the dictionary, trying, attempting - is something we all do so you're talking out of your ancient alien ass.

EvF