Member-only story
What Justifiable Reasons Are There to Hate a Fellow Human Being?
The Case Against Contempt and Loathing
Is it ever justified to hate someone?
According to one author, it’s a tough question.
“There is no easy answer to the question of whether or not hate is ever justified. On the one hand, hatred can be destructive and harmful. It can lead to violence, discrimination, and even genocide. On the other hand, hatred can also be a powerful force for good. It can motivate people to fight for justice and to resist oppression.”
(Sandel, Michael. The Morality of Hatred. Princeton University Press, 2003)
There certainly seems to be a lot of support for that latter claim — namely that hatred can be a “powerful force for good” as it can “motivate people to fight for justice and to resist oppression.”
But that was not the view of one of the greatest justice advocates in world history:
“Darkness cannot drive darkness; Light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; Love can do that.”
Those words from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. ring true still today.
