Ethics of Hatred

Flavus Aquila

Flavus Aquila

Finding My Place in the Sun
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Hate has become a convenient political term/label; but leaving the political use to political discussions, what are your ethics about hatred?



I think hatred is a very necessary, constructive, and ethical passion, when directed well. Disease, ignorance, crime, injustice, etc. all are hate-worthy, and their contradictory opposites (health, education, civil order, justice) can be pursued positively and ethically, in order to obliterate their hate worthy contraries.
 
Well said.
 
I find anger to be a normal, necessary, constructive, and ethical passion if directed well. I think people are misusing the term, 'hatred,' by attempting to redefine it in such a manner. Hatred is typically understood to be destructive and while destruction itself might be understood in naturalistic terms, it is not necessarily justifiable. When one person murders another and we understand the motivation to be 'hatred,' we may know this to be the reason as to why they committed murder but that in itself is not a justified reason.

Hatred is extreme and volatile anger. I don't think it should be used so flagrantly. I think people who feel their anger has grown to such a point should seek reflection before seeking resolution. Anger is perfectly normal and reasonable, but it can easily and quickly grow to be unreasonable and irrational.
 
The thread title would make a great one for a college course. :)


Hatred can be constructive if it's directed at the right target, with the intent to reduce the harm its target has caused. We hate injustice, so we fight for more just policies. We hate racist behavior and discrimination, so we fight to change actions and laws.

But it gets tricky if we hate people, even those who seem to deserve it. We may hate people, but hatred of people is harder to support ethically, because even if the person deserves poor regard, the same seemingly justified hatred can be used to support vigilante crimes, harm others not responsible for the hate, and cause other destructive actions.

For example, hatred of corruption in the police force has made some expand their hatred to include all police. That's not helpful. I think it's more constructive to hate the racist ideology in a policy, action, or treatment, and try to reduce it, than to hate people or persons.
 
I get a kick out of the new term "hater". It seems to be a way of calling people out on excessive negative behavior.
 
Romans 12:9

Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
 
I believe the foundation of hate is fear. Therefore I see hate as a failing. An emotion that has no practical use in the real world.
We see hate manifest quite a bit in the liberal world. Leading to violence, aggression etc. Many attacks happening on Trump supporters.
 
Ah, sorry. I read it wrong.

I don't see fear as failing and I don't see hate as failing.

I do think there is such a thing as righteous hate, but it's usually not righteous and it's always destructive. Some things ought to be destroyed though.
 
CindyLou said:
Ah, sorry. I read it wrong.

I don't see fear as failing and I don't see hate as failing.

I do think there is such a thing as righteous hate, but it's usually not righteous and it's always destructive. Some things ought to be destroyed though.
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What is hate to you then? How is it beneficial?
 
A really great article about the ethics of hate...it is, keep in mind, on the opinion page though it offers some good questions and possible answers to others.
Worthy read IMHO.

How to hate ethically

Keith Kahn-Harris

My suggestion is not that we try to eradicate it.
Rather, we need to do something that sounds strange and counterintuitive: we need to find ways to hate ethically.

Hating ethically means accepting our hatred, but working hard on how we actually express it.
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http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/belief/2011/jun/20/ethics-ethically​
 
"Not" hating some things could actually seem like one is not facing reality: turning their head so they won't have to get involved. Some people are just complacent with the way things are. Live and let live. Stay away from that side of town.

Hate to bear the bad news, but that side of town is covering the entire city. It is costing businesses money. It is causing people to stop going to church at night. The people are staying home. This really helps the economy. A contract with a city in construction might place you in a yard where two people were murdered the night before. Feel like you are traveling through old Beirut with all the eyes and cell phones around you. Eight women have been raped in one park this last year. How can a person not hate all this?

One might try to help the LEOs in the area, but God help you if you talk to the man. People are scared, but they are scared of a lot of people that have lost their way. Prisons keep putting them back on the streets. They commit more crime. LEOs have to be careful how they are dealing with criminals, even though most situations can become a disaster in the blink of an eye. I hate all this. You don't have to. That's up to you.

Someone said a long time ago: either you are for me or you are against me. Society is changing, and I hate the way it is changing. Some of these crimes I hate really do not surprise me. Some people do not know how to muzzle their hate. I am thankful I can.
 
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Eventhorizon said:
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Hate has no practical use.
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Comfort is a weak motivator, and pain is a strong motivator. In terms of touch sensation, if you sit on grass and start getting bitten by ants, I suspect that hatred of pain is going to be more useful than love of comfort to get you moving. Analogously, many things that are neglected, or wrong are left unattended until something triggers outrage.

This is not to say that strong positive motivation isn't better, but in practical reality, negative motivation has more urgency and actual effect.
 
Flavus Aquila said:
Comfort is a weak motivator, and pain is a strong motivator. In terms of touch sensation, if you sit on grass and start getting bitten by ants, I suspect that hatred of pain is going to be more useful than love of comfort to get you moving. Analogously, many things that are neglected, or wrong are left unattended until something triggers outrage.

This is not to say that strong positive motivation isn't better, but in practical reality, negative motivation has more urgency and actual effect.
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Ok. I do not know the last time I felt hate so its difficult for me to say.
 
Eventhorizon said:
Ok. I do not know the last time I felt hate so its difficult for me to say.
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Maybe you don't hate anything because you don't love anything?
 
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Elegant Winter said:
Do you really think that's possible?
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That it is possible to not love something (which you suggested) or that hatred occurs due to a lack of love?
 
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