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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/42505
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/42505
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Hate is not just over-blown dislike. Hate is visceral, a wish that somebody else suffer harm, often for the harm they have actually done, in other cases for the harm the hater _truly believes_ they have done, or will do, either to the hater, or to people the hater cares about.

Hate can be addictive; it is an intense emotion and has its rewards: For example, if Jill believes another person or group is responsible for the death of her brother, or father, imagining the harms that could be done to those responsible can be a salve to her, imagining them getting their just rewards of pain and grief can feel satisfying.

If she believes their evil is an ongoing enterprise (and for some criminals that can be reality), her hatred may even enable her to scheme to inflict that harm and bring her imaginations to reality, and she may feel justified as a vigilante in doing so to prevent the perpetrators from doing any further harm, to people like her. Jill may believe they would thank her, if they knew **she** was responsible for hurting them, or killing them. She may be proud of her contribution.

Hate, like love or lust, does not have to be rational. We can reason about it (as I have done above), but the emotion itself is not based in logic, it is not like "X is true and Y is true, therefore I hate." Dislike can be based in logic and reasons. Like can be too: Josh is competent in his job, he's civil and doesn't insult people, he can be funny without racism or sexism, those are reasons I like working with Josh. No conflicts.

Love isn't like that, lust isn't like that, and hate isn't like that. Hate is a visceral feeling, usually felt because one is certain the person hated is a personal harm, or causing harm to others, or is in general a harm to society, and therefore unworthy of any enjoyment or success they (the hated) has in life, and the hater or society in general would be better off rid of the hated person (or group).

Hate may not be strong enough to actually break laws in order to harm the hated, but it **can** be that strong: the hater can believe the laws are mistaken and should not apply to this particular circumstance, that the hated is **guilty** and true justice **demands** they be punished, no matter what the cost.

Original score: 2