"If you hate a person, you hate something in him that is part of yourself. What isn't part of ourselves doesn't disturb us."
Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962)
Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962)
posted by Michelle at 8:32 AM
Welcome to the Quote of the Day! This site originated in a small, special education, high school classroom and we talk about these quotes each morning on school days. We'll share our thoughts, feelings, and personal values as we explore the words of others. We look forward to hearing your thoughts as well. If you have a quote that you would like to see used, please send it to: michelle(dot)nvs(at)gmail(dot)com (all lower case).
posted by Michelle at 8:32 AM
3 Comments:
I think that this may be true sometimes but not always.
And I have some difficulty with the word "hate" because I can dislike a person's behavior and still like them.
I do not have to identify with Adolf Hitler or Ted Bundy in order to think that their actions were deplorable.
When you stare into the abyss, the abyss stares into you.
I think what Hesse was getting at is that hate is such a strong emotion - it can only exist in something that is close to you and matters to you. You can't hate that which you truly don't care about.
Michelle can dislike Hitler, but she doesn't truly hate him, because she doesn't care enough about him to hate him.
Love and hate are actually very close emotions - which is why one can so easily become the other.
And in those we truly hate (and not dislike) it is often the parts of ourselves that is what we are close enough to in order to trigger this.
I, too, have trouble with the word hate. There are often things (behaviors/attitudes) about others which I do not understand.
But rarely are there things which I hate.
As for people who are down right mean, I can't help but feel sad for them because they must be tormented souls themselves.
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