The Brain and the Corrusive Influence of Hate

Hate is something we should never nurture in any society. When we see others being mistreated, vulnerable people imtentionally damaged, we should pause and ask ourselves, What if that were me—or someone I cared about? It can be difficult to convince some people that every person has inherent value, especially when they hold deeply rooted beliefs that place their own rights or status above others. Even more difficute the written and unwritten rules are clearly different. Hate rarely exists in isolation; it often grows alongside other negative behaviors due to a lack of empathy and the abundance of moral compromises. 

Coordinated hate can spread quickly, particularly when corruption begins to weaken the moral foundations of backstops. A minority of corrupt officials can often undermine institutional trust from the inside (This is generally why we want to remove poor actors. Mistakes are one thing but intent to harm is another. You can train mistakes but you can't train out a darkened soul.). I often use the example of a clan as a hypothetical, philosophical thought experiment to explore what a “justice default” might look like in a microcosm. Reflecting on such scenarios can offer valuable insights worth examining further.

Hate originates from a dark place, and once people learn to hate, they often begin to engage in other harmful behaviors. It doesn’t always need to be spoken aloud—sometimes it’s revealed in the unwritten rules of who we favor and who we exclude or who benefits and who is blocked. These quiet acts of exclusion limit human potential and stifle creativity and progress. Over time, the effects of hate can become deeply corrosive, especially when the moral conscience of individuals who are entrusted with society resources misuse their positions and authority to preference in-group members. 

The good news is that while history is full of examples of hate, it is also rich with stories of people who rose above it. They encouraged a higher moral order and greater alignment of oaths and social contracts to behaviors. The risks they faced while standing for their communities significant. The only true path forward is through learning, growth, and a shared commitment to helping one another become better versions of ourselves. When we do this, the positive effects—what some might call good karma—can ripple far into the future. What we pass on to our children and grandchildren, for better or worse, is ultimately up to us.

A wise founding father Benjamin Franklin who eventually became an absolutionist and was against mistreatment of Native Americans said,

“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I may remember. Involve me and I learn.” – Benjamin Franklin

A Brain Mechanism for Hate