Is Hatred Taught?

Photo by Karine Doche

This picture makes me sad for what's going on, yet happy that just maybe there is hope for the future.

100% yes.

Wow. That picture makes me want to cry a little bit.

One of the things I've always loved about literature is its ability to break the facade of essential differences between various groups. By illustrating the common recurring themes of the human condition, literature transcends all the ideological and cultural differences perpetually dividing us. It makes the timeless visible.

One of the most effective methods of securing the loyalty of a group of people is to inculcate them with hatred for a projected enemy. In other words, hatred is instrumental.

In that sense, it is really just a perverse expression of love (for one's own people).

Yes

Yes. Its an outlet for anger.

PurpleKnight said:

i think the human animal is programmed to have hatred as a surival skill and it's early life is what determines how it is used.

the capacity for hatred could arguably be in-born, but the applications and projections of hatred are almost certainly taught.

IrresistibleB1tch said:

PurpleKnight said:

Wow. That picture makes me want to cry a little bit.

One of the things I've always loved about literature is its ability to break the facade of essential differences between various groups. By illustrating the common recurring themes of the human condition, literature transcends all the ideological and cultural differences perpetually dividing us. It makes the timeless visible.

One of the most effective methods of securing the loyalty of a group of people is to inculcate them with hatred for a projected enemy. In other words, hatred is instrumental.
In that sense, it is really just a perverse expression of love (for one's own people).

as with anything, the question should be - who profits?

For me, it's not so much the issue of whether or not it's taught, but whether or not the person being taught to hate actually believes it, and if that is the case, how long it takes for them to unlearn. I'm thinking of a scene in Coming Of Age In Mississippi - little Essie May (Anne Moody) and her white friends (with parents) all show up to the same movie house one time, and Anne goes to sit with them, but Essie's mother hanks her away and chastises her for not knowing her place with white people. to see the difference between herself and the white children only after mother points them out to her (presumably as a way to teach Anne to protect herself). While not necessarily about her hatred of whites (that comes later in the book), but it is about how children form impressions about the world.

Graycap23 said:

Turn on Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, Michael Reagan, Ann Coutler, Michelle Malkin, Ken Levine, or Michael Savage if for some reason you are tempted to think hate is not taught.

"Guitar" on Leno is the greatest performance in the history of rock ' roll

Second Funkiest White Man in America

It sure is nice having adults running our government now

RodeoSchro said:

RodeoSchro said:

A better word would be CONDITIONED

Absolutely. without a doubt. When you watch small children from different races play together from various racial/ethnic backgrounds, let's say for example, around 5 - 7 years old, race doesn't seem to stop them from playing together. It is the racist language and assumptions about other races that comes from the mouths of their parents/guardians within the environment they live and also what they are exposed to. Especially if they live in an environment where they only live around people that reflect their race/culture. .

I believe I was around 8 years old when I had my first encounter with racist behavior from people of another race, and it puzzled me as a child why the attitudes/behavior were so hateful, as I continued to experience it through my adult life. I refused to allow it from detering me from reaching my goals as it continued, and just handle each situation like as a separate incident. I believe it's what people teach their kids at home and the environment they live in, is what they will display in public.


An example is the case of the hispanic male that was murdered by about 4 or 5 teenagers. Now the justice department is finally stepping in, because there have been so many crimes against hispanics and hispanic immigrants in the Long Island areas of New York (Nassau/Suffolk counties) by youth. Question is, how did they learn this behavior and who did they learn it from? So yes, in my opinion, hatred whether it's racial or religious is taught.
[Edited 1/14/09 7:43am]

It's not that we hate that i have any issue. it's what we hate.

HiinEnkelte said:

Ok... I think it is taught.

This is a story.. We adopted a little puppy, and he was so scared and frightened he would nip at us.. tried to bite us!

I took him to a vet to see if there was something physically wrong with him or.. maybe he was overly aggressive. The vet said, "No, he is just very scared." And he advised us rather than to pop the doggie on the nose, he said it was better when he nipped to just walk away from him. He also suggested to give him lots of attention when he was NOT nipping at us, petting him.. physical contact so he would get used to people. Then he said, to socialize him, making sure we take him out to be around other dogs and people.

Well, over time, he does not bite us anymore and he is much more confident! He has turned around so much in just a few months. Now.. where this ties in is that I wonder sometimes if we had hit the doggie or responded aggressively, then I wonder if the puppy would have turned mean? It was all in our hands, really. And the vet gave us some good advice we followed. But what if we did not know any better, and our actions would have increased the problem?

So.. I am thinking that maybe with people, some start with fear due to circumstances beyond their control--like this doggie. Then if these people are not handled in the most positive way, this fear turns to anger, then hate?

It is just a theory.
[Edited 1/14/09 5:09am]

Not necessarily.

"Think inside out."

lascantas said:

lascantas said:

ehuffnsd said:

Graycap23 said:

dseann said:

NO!, no more than love is taught. Human beings can compass both feelings. It's neither nature or nurture that determines hate, but a mixture/combo of both. We have the capacity to hate, so we can, how that hatred comes to pass, is usually part of conditioning, but not always.

I believe part of our development is overcoming this hatred, I believe we have to learn not to hate

Graycap23 said:

dseann said:

Graycap23 said:

.....and rightfully so, if that is the route the victim wants 2 take.

Then on the other hand there are heterosexual males who hate homosexual males because they happen to be insecure about their own sexuality and want to kill/eliminate any temptation.

Graycap23 said:

dseann said:

Then on the other hand there are heterosexual males who hate homosexual males because they happen to be insecure about their own sexuality and want to kill/eliminate any temptation.

Can't relate.

lilgish said:

Graycap23 said:

Can't relate.

Me thinks those men are not really "Hetero"