Have you ever hated someone?
Love and hate. Two words that are often joined together, one the opposite of the other. But I have always thought that many people misunderstand the word hate, and it is a word that is often overused.
How often have you heard somebody say “I hate so and so” naming perhaps a politician or a celebrity? I have often done it myself.
The truth is when we say we hate a public figure; we hate their public persona.
Quite often I have vented my spleen over an ex deputy prime minister, a man who blustered and bullied his way through his government’s tenure. But the person I hate was not the real man.
Now he has left office, he is less of a plank, and does seem to have a touch of humility about him these days. And there is a possibility that if I ever meet him, I may quite like him.
The same goes for pop stars, actors and comedians. We may “hate” their act or style, but they could be, and some are, pretty decent people, and do not deserve our hatred.
Another way the word hate is misused is when it is described as the opposite of love. In my opinion, this is not the case.
Hate, like love, is a strong emotion, and uses up emotional energy. In my book, indifference is the opposite to love.
If ever you experience hatred from somebody, the worst thing you can do is hate them back. By doing this, you are letting that person drain your emotional energy and exert some control over you.
If you treat that person with indifference, you would have defeated them.
Indifference is a much more potent weapon against hatred.
Hate isn’t the opposite to love, indifference is.
No one likes to be ignored.
I would like to thank Adrian CDTPPW for giving me the idea for this article.
Here are some more of my articles.
Hot bread and butter and memories of a lost friend.
When writers block hits, I resort to meandering.
