Page 3 - Seniorstoday Nov 2024 Issue

Publisher’s Note

The Triumph of Hate

Hate is a powerful emotion. It can consume us, addictive. It gives us a feeling of control and helps
control us, and drive us to do things we never us justify our animosity toward those we label
thought ourselves capable of. It is an emotion as the “enemy.” In a battle between a snake and a
embedded in human nature since the dawn of time mongoose, nearly everyone empathises with the
– think of Cain and Abel. Hate gives us a sense mongoose – the snake, after all, is simply being
of power and control. When we hate someone or itself.
something, we often feel a sense of superiority In today’s media-driven world, hate is a
over them. It can also serve as an outlet for pent- contagious disease, spreading faster than
up frustration and anger. Hate has the potential lightning. It can unite people, forging bonds over
to motivate us to confront and defeat those we shared negative emotions. This phenomenon
perceive as threats to our wellbeing, our family, is particularly evident in group settings, where
or our country. Have you ever observed football individuals with similar beliefs come together to
fans screaming vulgarities at their rivals during an loathe a common enemy. A politician, for instance,
intense match? may identify causes that rally us to align with them
Misery loves company, and shared hatred within and vilify a particular group perceived as harmful.
a group transforms misery into an intoxicating Hate blinds us. It allows us to overlook blatant
sense of righteous anger. It is frighteningly easy lies, criminal behaviour, toxic narratives,
to incite fear by suggesting that our rights or very imaginary threats, and unchecked narcissism.
existence are under threat, and that certain people Welcome to the triumph of Donald Trump.
are the cause of this threat. This is when hate
morphs into a defence mechanism. It enables us to
erect barriers between ourselves and the source of
our pain.
Hate can even become a coping mechanism, Vickram Sethi
providing a sense of belonging and unity. It can be Publisher and Editor-in-Chief

SENIORS TODAY | ISSUE #65 | NOVEMBER 2024 3