Quote:
Originally Posted by highdro69
Hate does not imply any ignorance. I hate religion and it's fanatics, but am more educated on the bible, Quran, Torah, Talmud, the Vedas, etc. than most fundamentalists. I hate pure capitalism, but am more familiar with the intricacies of a globalized market than most of the idiots investing in a market they don't understand. Obviously, I could list further examples, but the point is I'm not going to go kill religious people or blow up a stock exchange. Nothing catastrophic stemming from this hatred.
You further implication that hatred stems from ignorance is unnecessarily condescending and without any real reason as to why. I find it rather insulting.
My misanthropy has been cultivated only through my education. I am a student of history, and the one constant throughout human history has been it's cruelty towards itself. I'd really like to hope that the more mass information gets diffused and the world get smaller (mostly via the internet), that people will stop being so indifferent towards each other. However, I know this is a pipe dream.
.
|
I'll try and answer this the best I can.
Let's change my idea from indifference to undecided. There is a big difference, I know. But that was more of where I was trying to go.
Perhaps I'm too young to understand where you're coming from. From where I stand I see only problems when your only purpose in a relationship with something is destroying it/dismantling it/etc. Because, correct me if I'm wrong (and I would appreciate your opinion), isn't that the purpose of hate? If it's not based in ignorance that means it has a purpose, hypothetically, so what is it's purpose if it isn't that?
Your religious fanatics base their practices in polar beliefs. Hate. Blind Faith. Is responding with more hate and resolve going to solve anything? Really? That isn't naive or hippy-talk; that's legitimate. Perhaps it's tedious. But wouldn't you rather they listen to your reasoning? Isn't that why you hate them? Because they won't listen to reason? What is the chance that you'll listen to them? About the same right? And you, like me, would claim we are being reasonable in not accepting their practices but the truth is that our opinions matter as much as theirs. But we don't know what's up there. What we say isn't any more true then them. I'm with you on this but I've just decided not to practice any type of faith-based religion right now but I don't know who I'll be when I'm 80. I might be speaking in tongues. That's just my point of view and I didn't mean to insult you. My apologies.
As a person who has experienced very little in his life I have very few instances that I can call upon to show you how I live my life but I have two:
1) I was mugged by a kid. Or attempted. He tried to assault me and take my things. He didn't care who I was or what I did. He was desperate. But I don't know him and I don't know what he's gone through in his life. It doesn't excuse his actions but it could explain it. The explanation could be that he's a drugged-up asshole or that he's living on the street to avoid abuse and has no other means of getting money. But my assumptions and hate towards street people, or kids who mug people, would not only be useless, and demeaning, and stressful (because hating something is stressful) but, far worse, it would be restrictive.
2) My best friend Jackie was kidnapped in front of me when I was six. The guy who took her out in the woods and viciously beat her and raped her (she was eight) for two weeks and then killed her and through her in the leaves. He was arrested and killed in prison. I don't hate him for what he did. He was really sick. I know people who are really sick. I pity him. But me hating him wouldn't do anything but stop me from understanding the situation.
Because hatred is what? The polar response of dislike right? My question is what's the point? What do you gain? What do you leave with? I'm obviously not an indifferent guy. I don't believe in passive-aggression to solve problems; I don't waffle. But what does a polar response to anything, be it overly joyful or overly hateful, help in any situation.
Because my answer to you Zeraph is I'd do whatever helped in the situation. Not helped me cope or scrape by. At some point, for me, that would have to stop. And I'm okay with never finding an answer. I'd be arrogant to say that I'll figure it all out. I'm not okay with stopping the exploration of a situation (I sound like Al Sharpton). What would help me understand.
And I think everyone is missing my stupid, small little point. Between the two: hatred of something, and being in the middle, I see a couple of differences but one stands out. The Middle means wiggle room. It means options. An option to change or grow. Hatred implies solidarity right? Something that's been decided. Because if it's not based in ignorance, then that means it's something figured out and decided. But isn't that decision ignorant in itself. You don't know EVERYTHING about religion and it's purposes so why jump the gun and decide in the realm of finality. What's so great about finality? The world is too big for me to finalize right now.
I just love to learn. About me. About you. About everything.