Is hate ok?

[SigurdReginson]

Hate seems to be an emotion we can all agree is negative by it's nature. Many terrible things that have happened all throughout time have been rooted in hatred, but ultimately it is an emotion designed to gird us in combatting perceived threats. It does have a use, apparently.

But fear, lack of compassion, bigotry, and other negative things either run in tandem with hatred, or are influenced by it. Sometimes we even use it to fill a void we feel in our lives.

But is there good in hatred? Can hatred result in a positive outcome by incorporating it into one's personal life? In what situations is it ok to hate?

 

[PoetPhilosopher]

Hate works as an indication that we are human, are pretty much animals, and aren't gods. I think at some point it's possible to gain almost full control over your emotions, even if many people may not achieve it easily. One visible sign of this is that I often see a bit less violent and risky behavior among the elderly, in general. So maybe something like wisdom trumps hate. The question might be how to become wiser at a greater rate.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Hate seems to be an emotion we can all agree is negative by it's nature. Many terrible things that have happened all throughout time have been rooted in hatred, but ultimately it is an emotion designed to gird us in combatting perceived threats. It does have a use, apparently.

But fear, lack of compassion, bigotry, and other negative things either run in tandem with hatred, or are influenced by it. Sometimes we even use it to fill a void we feel in our lives.

But is there good in hatred? Can hatred result in a positive outcome by incorporating it into one's personal life? In what situations is it ok to hate?

Incorporate it into one's life, no. My brother took on the trauma we had more than I and he's so much in hate, I think he's in psychosis (among other symptoms). It tears you up, really. To express it-I think if it's the opposite of pent-up feelings, then yes... it's natural to find a punching bag or write in a journal or exercise. To develop or see it as part of your morals (which means revenge, yes bigotry-though I never used the word, and the like), no. I don't see how that's helpful at all. If anything, that can make people enemies and then you wonder why you're upset at people when it only means its a reflection of your own character.

A little vent, but if you're expressing your feelings in a safe way, no. I believe it's needed. If you mean as part of your morals and justified by letting other people's define how you respond, no I don't see that as helpful.

You/Your in a general sense... but to be very very honest, I never used the word hate to describe my feelings growing up. Maybe I do hate somewhere up in there, I don't know--it's good once it's released (so I heard) but it has its consequences too...depends.

 

[SigurdReginson]

Incorporate it into one's life, no. My brother took on the trauma we had more than I and he's so much in hate, I think he's in psychosis (among other symptoms). It tears you up, really. To express it-I think if it's the opposite of pent-up feelings, then yes... it's natural to find a punching bag or write in a journal or exercise. To develop or see it as part of your morals (which means revenge, yes bigotry-though I never used the word, and the like), no. I don't see how that's helpful at all. If anything, that can make people enemies and then you wonder why you're upset at people when it only means its a reflection of your own character.

A little vent, but if you're expressing your feelings in a safe way, no. I believe it's needed. If you mean as part of your morals and justified by letting other people's define how you respond, no I don't see that as helpful.

You/Your in a general sense... but to be very very honest, I never used the word hate to describe my feelings growing up. Maybe I do hate somewhere up in there, I don't know--it's good once it's released (so I heard) but it has its consequences too...depends.

Yah... It's kinna tricky that way. I agree that it is good to spend pent up aggression in a healthy way, though I'm not sure I'd describe that as "hate" per se.

Hmm... But if aggression isn't innately rooted in hatred, then what is it rooted in? Maybe aggression is more of an adrenaline "fight or flight" kind of response. Hatred certainly can be used to channel aggression, though.

It seems to me that the best way to handle hatred is to purge yourself of it... I can't really see it being a good or positive thing to incorporate into one's life at all.

 

[SigurdReginson]

Hate works as an indication that we are human, are pretty much animals, and aren't gods. I think at some point it's possible to gain almost full control over your emotions, even if many people may not achieve it easily. One visible sign of this is that I often see a bit less violent and risky behavior among the elderly, in general. So maybe something like wisdom trumps hate. The question might be how to become wiser at a greater rate.

You make an interesting point... It does seem (for the most part) that age tempers hatred, and wisdom could be the cause. Younger folks are far more likely to act out on their hatred than older folks. Then again, younger folks are far more likely to act on aggression, too - more testosterone.

I do see folks (especially at the hospital I work at) who are elderly and watch hateful programs like Tucker Carlson, and they just seethe about the terrible state of things... But they never really act out. Then again, I don't work the floors where they would act out.

 

[Messianic Israelite]

Hate seems to be an emotion we can all agree is negative by it's nature. Many terrible things that have happened all throughout time have been rooted in hatred, but ultimately it is an emotion designed to gird us in combatting perceived threats. It does have a use, apparently.

But fear, lack of compassion, bigotry, and other negative things either run in tandem with hatred, or are influenced by it. Sometimes we even use it to fill a void we feel in our lives.

But is there good in hatred? Can hatred result in a positive outcome by incorporating it into one's personal life? In what situations is it ok to hate?

Romans 12:9 states:
"Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good."

If you love your wife and someone does them harm, it is through love that you hate the evil that has been done to her. Sincere love isn't what many Chr-stian ministers claim. Love for Yahweh and for our neighbour must mean hatred for evil and sin. If we claim to love Yahweh and our fellow men yet don't hate evil, then we are deluding ourselves since Yahweh is good. Satan is evil and if we love evil we love Satan, not Yahweh.

Amos 5:15 says just about the same thing.

 

[Jeremiah Ames]

we can hate evil and falsity, but never hate any person (including yourself)

 

[AlexanderG]

Part of the challenge of your question is that there are different usages of "hate" and it is easy to equivocate.

Is it ok to hate class of people for having the immutable characteristics they were born with? No.

Is it ok to hate a person for choosing to use words and actions that harm you or people important to you? I'd say this is a justified hatred.

To illustrate my opinion, I'd say that when racist white people maliciously deny bank loans to black people because of their skin color, this form of hatred is invalid and unjustifiable. By contrast, when Black people point out that the actions, words, and policies of white supremacists are harming them, they are not being "racist against white people." If African Americans feel hatred toward racists, it is fair and justified.

 

[SigurdReginson]

Romans 12:9 states:
"Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good."

If you love your wife and someone does them harm, it is through love that you hate the evil that has been done to her. Sincere love isn't what many Chr-stian ministers claim. Love for Yahweh and for our neighbour must mean hatred for evil and sin. If we claim to love Yahweh and our fellow men yet don't hate evil, then we are deluding ourselves since Yahweh is good. Satan is evil and if we love evil we love Satan, not Yahweh.

Amos 5:15 says just about the same thing.

Hmmm.... In theory that makes sense, but in practice "hate the sin, love the sinner" often times turns into "hate the sin, hate the sinner." That's been my personal experience, at least. I've seen a few people cast out from their families because they were gay, had an abortion, or some other reason like that...It seems to me that once someone allows hate into their lives, it has a problem with festering and spreading into other areas of their lives, too.

I prefer empathy and compassion tempered by my observations and experiences. I always judge folks on an individual basis, and I never set my opinions in stone when it comes to people. Maybe that's a foolish thing to do, but so far it's served me well. Love is a powerful thing, IMO.

 

[SigurdReginson]

To illustrate my opinion, I'd say that when racist white people maliciously deny bank loans to black people because of their skin color, this form of hatred is invalid and unjustifiable. By contrast, when Black people point out that the actions, words, and policies of white supremacists are harming them, they are not being "racist against white people." If African Americans feel hatred toward racists, it is fair and justified.

That's an interesting point... The problem with it, though, is that hatred usually begets hatred. If everyone hates each other, justified or not, how does any good change happen in the world? Whether folks like it or not, they have to swallow their hatred at some point and meet each other in the middle (and make concessions they don't like) if they want real change to happen, it seems to me.

 

[Aštra’el]

To illustrate my opinion, I'd say that when racist white people maliciously deny bank loans to black people because of their skin color, this form of hatred is invalid and unjustifiable. By contrast, when Black people point out that the actions, words, and policies of white supremacists are harming them, they are not being "racist against white people." If African Americans feel hatred toward racists, it is fair and justified.

Why do you capitalize “black” and not “white”?

 

[Meow Mix]

Hate seems to be an emotion we can all agree is negative by it's nature. Many terrible things that have happened all throughout time have been rooted in hatred, but ultimately it is an emotion designed to gird us in combatting perceived threats. It does have a use, apparently.

But fear, lack of compassion, bigotry, and other negative things either run in tandem with hatred, or are influenced by it. Sometimes we even use it to fill a void we feel in our lives.

But is there good in hatred? Can hatred result in a positive outcome by incorporating it into one's personal life? In what situations is it ok to hate?

This is like the paradox of tolerance: to have a tolerant society, we can't tolerate intolerance.

I often try to find the good in everybody, but I hate things like racism, sexism, transphobia, xenophobia, homophobia, things that involve hating or putting people down for who they are.

I don't necessarily hate every racist or sexist, but I might if their own hatred is vociferous enough. If they harm enough people.

Hate the hatred, so to speak.

 

[SigurdReginson]

This is like the paradox of tolerance: to have a tolerant society, we can't tolerate intolerance.

I often try to find the good in everybody, but I hate things like racism, sexism, transphobia, xenophobia, homophobia, things that involve hating or putting people down for who they are.

I don't necessarily hate every racist or sexist, but I might if their own hatred is vociferous enough. If they harm enough people.

Hate the hatred, so to speak.

Hmm... Do you think that "hating the hatred" can pass along to individuals? Do you think that hating racism can lead to you hating someone who is racist?

In dealing with hatred, this guy's approach is interesting.

 

[Meow Mix]

Hmm... Do you think that "hating the hatred" can pass along to individuals? Do you think that hating racism can lead to you hating someone who is racist?

In dealing with hatred, this guy's approach is interesting.

I think that it can lead to that, yeah. I suggested as much in my post when I said, "I don't necessarily hate every racist or sexist, but I might if their own hatred is vociferous enough. If they harm enough people."

I'll use the lowest hanging fruit: would I hate Hitler? Yeah, I probably would. Does that mean I shouldn't still evaluate how he got to be who he was, make an evaluation of whether an olive branch is possible, etc? Yeah, we should still do those things. But sometimes an olive branch is not possible. We must use our reason in these situations.

Sometimes the right move is to try to understand and to reach out, sometimes even to turn the other cheek.

Sometimes it's not. Sometimes hatred has to be fought. We don't have to like the fighting, I'm not talking about a blind fury sort of hating. But sometimes it has to be answered. It's more like a grim duty, I guess.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Like many other things, it depends on how it's used. Rioting, for example, required a hatred in curren conditions enough to stand up and fight for them. The Stonewall Riots were definitely a good thing.

 

[Shakeel]

That's been my personal experience, at least. I've seen a few people cast out from their families because they were gay, had an abortion, or some other reason like that..

That does not have to be due to hatred. It can be simple reasoning.

 

[Aupmanyav]

I believe (and agree with this from Gita), hate is an emotion which must be abandoned even in a war.
In a just war you are fighting for principles not for any gains.
Hate will only distort our thinking and prevent us from taking the right action.
It is a harmful, misleading emotion.

I've seen a few people cast out from their families because they were gay, had an abortion, or some other reason like that...It seems to me that once someone allows hate into their lives, it has a problem with festering and spreading into other areas of their lives, too.

That is ignorance.

 

[Spirit of Light]

Hate seems to be an emotion we can all agree is negative by it's nature. Many terrible things that have happened all throughout time have been rooted in hatred, but ultimately it is an emotion designed to gird us in combatting perceived threats. It does have a use, apparently.

But fear, lack of compassion, bigotry, and other negative things either run in tandem with hatred, or are influenced by it. Sometimes we even use it to fill a void we feel in our lives.

But is there good in hatred? Can hatred result in a positive outcome by incorporating it into one's personal life? In what situations is it ok to hate?

I did spend many years of my life hating different things or people, never gave me anything good to be so hatefull. So i only want to have love and compassion in my heart now.

 

[Heyo]

Hate seems to be an emotion we can all agree is negative by it's nature. Many terrible things that have happened all throughout time have been rooted in hatred, but ultimately it is an emotion designed to gird us in combatting perceived threats. It does have a use, apparently.

But fear, lack of compassion, bigotry, and other negative things either run in tandem with hatred, or are influenced by it. Sometimes we even use it to fill a void we feel in our lives.

But is there good in hatred? Can hatred result in a positive outcome by incorporating it into one's personal life? In what situations is it ok to hate?

I think it is important to distinguish hate from anger. They often go hand in hand as one induces the other but anger is fleeting. It is an emotion connected to adrenalin, aggression and agitation. It makes you move.
Hate, on the other hand, is more intellectual. It makes you think, it makes you plot. The guy who really hated to get wet invented the umbrella. Those who were just angry, complained about it.
When you really want to change something and are willing to do something about it after your anger has gone, then you hate. That hate will keep you going and focused and it will keep your memory sharp.

I'm just too lazy to hate anything.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Anger again may cloud truth. Another to be abandoned emotion - as Hinduism says "Kama, Krodha, Mada, Lobha, Moha" (Lust, Anger, Pride, Greed, and attachment).