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Is It Fear or Hate?

Could the difference between love and hate be educating each other?

By Courtney J WilkiePublished 6 years ago 3 min read
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I believe that I was brought up with an open mind. My parents are two polar opposites in terms of opinion, politics, likes and dislikes, meaning I could always see the other persons point of view, though empathy came when I grew and experienced the world for myself. And one thing I noticed about the inhabitants of our little ball of dirt; why are we always angry about something?

And this isn't just any anger, it's a seething rot inside each of us. It doesn't matter who it is at that moment we hate, or even why, it unites us in a lot of ways but unites us against something else. And what I've found it almost always boils down to is not understanding what it is we're hating. I, personally, love to hear about different cultures, different ways of life and how tradition plays a big part in many people's lives. I love to hear their journey, to learn through their mistakes and share alike my own. Does this enable to make me more accepting other people's way of life? Is this just the missing key we all need, an open mind to new and unusual ways of life?

The enemy is always changing, when we are bored hating we move onto something else. Because it's new, and we don't understand it so we are fearful, which results in a stubborn growing hatred we pass down through generations. First it was the Irish, then the Afro-Caribbean community, the Eastern Europeans, now it is Middle Eastern peoples. Who is next? And what flaccid reason will we have then?

Our country is currently divided between the 'haters' and the 'sympathisers'. Why can't we all discuss our concerns and views to open each other's minds, instead of aggressively preaching our own point of view louder than the other. Both sides are responsible for this,we need to pragmatically explain what we feel and why we feel this way. We need to understand why we're afraid/hateful and support each other rather than condemn each other.

I recently had a discussion with a Trump supporter from Texas. Now, usually when the topic of this person (Donald Trump) comes up my walls immediately ground themselves solid. But this once I thought better of it; I'm not in America after all, I didn't follow the election and pre amble as closely as I do for British politics. So I thought, 'who am I to not know all the facts but still put in my two cents?' And asked the gentleman what it is that made him so happy to have this seemingly awful amateur in the White House, to which he replied by saying 'bye' and proceeded to block me on the social media outlet we were communicating on. Not the outcome I had hoped for, but I left that conversation calm rather than fizzing with frustration at a stranger not swallowing my opinion as I rammed it down his throat. All we have to do is ask why. Start the conversation. Don't be immediately offended if someone does not share the same outlook, and not accusing someone of being racist/bigot/misogynist because they do not understand your standing. Find another way to make your point.

Nobody is heard in a room where all the occupants are screaming to be loudest.

politics
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About the Creator

Courtney J Wilkie

Young Feminist. Lover of debates and being educated by others' experiences. Hungry for success and working for it one day at a time. Any offence taken from my views is not intended.

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