Fear and Hate
- Karen McGinnis
- May 9, 2021
- 4 min read
Fear and Hate
Fear and Hate have a relationship!
The Definition of fear: Fear is an emotion induced by a perceived threat or a danger. Fear can result in physiological changes such as aggressive behavior or flight. Fear is a survival mechanism.
The Definition of hate: (As either a noun or a verb) Hate represents an intense and passionate dislike. It is an intense hostility that draws from fear. It is an extreme emotional state. Some see hate as “fear on steroids.” Unlike fear, it is not a fight or flight reflex. Its existence can burn the soul, malignant rather than benign, destructive rather than preservative,
Fear is many things. It is inherent in humans as a fight or flight instinct. Survival depended on how strong one was to fight off predators or how fast one could run from predators. Few predators exist in modern society.
Fear now falls into the categories of rational fear or irrational fear. What may seem to be ration fears are often actually learned fears. Conditioned by family, repeated bad experiences, or sudden traumatic events or even by abuse, they have become a habituated part of our lives. If a mother always screamed at the sight of a spider, children learned to fear spiders. But an inherent fear of falling seems rational considering a fall in certain situations might mean impending death.
Irrational fears are often fear of the unknown, or the never encountered. Since elevators seldom fall, the fear of elevators may seem irrational, but an accompanying fear of enclosed space and loss of control may also exist. Even in the face of the intricacies of fear, it is generally benign. The manipulation of fear can lead to hate, and then become malignant.
Like some forms of fear, hate can be a learned emotion. If those who are in a trusted role express and imbody hate, it can be learned by off spring and associates. The is often present in an atmosphere bereft of compassion and empathy. Focus on self and disregard for others can widen the gulf between fear and hate. Extreme levels of hate are characterized in an aggravated state by elevated heart rates, mental fury, and the expression and acceptance that even murder is justifiable.
Fear and hate become related in the depths of emotion. Fear as a survival instinct or an irrational thought process can lead to hate. If something feared becomes threatening, it crosses over. If fear is the inability to address what is threatening you, then hate becomes its manifestation. If fear is based on envy or misunderstanding, it may morph into hate. When fear is based on a misconception of something feared, it can develop into hate. The feared thing becomes the “other”. It Is an external threat.
The hater’s experiences, history, feelings, ideas, beliefs, and self-image are suddenly threatened. Obviously handling all that is beyond the ability of most and the fear becomes hate. Hatred is now the dominant emotion. The threat is just too large and incomprehensible to deal with. It must be eliminated to obtain safety. It has passed understanding and reason.
Hate is the reaction that we feel towards something that is threatening us and our way of life. It is the expansion of fear to the point where we cannot realistically do anything about the threat. Excessive fear causes parts of the brain to shut down. Clear thinking and comparative thinking are no longer the order of the day. The brain now releases chemicals which may make the hater feel pleasure in this emotional state. A group dynamic, all showing the same fear and hate, can mitigate perceived danger. At the same time, it increases the feeling of belonging to something larger than self. A group forms and is bound together by a common enemy or goal.
Because fear and hate are so intricately linked, they are not often individually recognized. Persons bereft of emotions can use fear to instill hate in others. Currently we see hate displayed in an expression that towns, cities, culture and institutions are being “ruined” by the “other.” We see a fear of “dilution“ of our culture expressed as hate. Groups are defined as “other” simply by superficial descriptions that may have little to do with the individuals involved. Those in the group of hater’s now fear that their “way of life’ is being threatened.
What can be done about the violent expression of hatred? The management of fear must occur first. Social support from friends, family and organizations can minimized fear of the unknown and the uncontrollable. Practicing mindfulness can return a sense of reality and then reactivate the clear thinking process that may not have been fully functioning. Other stress management techniques such as focused relaxation, breathing techniques, and visualization can calm the agitated soul of the hater. Living a healthy lifestyle as opposed to modifying reality with drugs or alcohol can lead to clear thoughts and push negativity and fear away. A healthy lifestyle may help replace negative chemicals produced by the body with more positive ones.
Knowing the difference between fear and hate is essential. Knowing that fear can be manipulated to express itself as hate is revelatory. While fear is an important human emotion, hate is a negative and damaging burden upon the soul.
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Places to learn more about the subject and form your own opinions:
https://www.google.com Hate and fear
https://www/fsnursing.com Hate and fear
https://www.verywellmind.com Psychology of Fear
And many books on the subject and related subjects.
Comments and corrections? Karenmac1999@hotmail.com
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