3 Ways to Step Off the Hatred Treadmill

"Humans have hated since the dawn of, well, humans, but these days it seems like we've elevated hate to a competitive sport. Whose hateful words, memes, and shouts gain the most views, shares, and comments? Whose amass the biggest following and build the strongest coalitions? Whose lead to election wins? But let's remember that sports rarely result in assassinations, murders, and war; hate too often does. We are regularly witnessing hate lead to actual violence. In turn, violence is leading to ever more hate."

"So many of us are whipped into frenzies of rage these days, no matter where we land on the political spectrum. The more hate is generated by our perceived opponents, the more we express our hate. The more we express our hate, the more our perceived opponents become enraged in turn. It's a feedback loop that puts too many of us on the hatred treadmill."

"Yes, there are people whose ideas and actions are causing grave harm-to people, to ecosystems, to nonhuman animals, and to our societies. To the degree that we are able, we each have a responsibility to do our part to make a positive difference. But surely history has shown us that living and acting with hatred does not solve the problem; it feeds it."

Hatred has long existed but has become amplified into a competitive pursuit where hateful content gains visibility and influence. Hate frequently leads to real-world violence, creating a feedback loop in which violence generates more hatred. People across the political spectrum are increasingly drawn into frenzies of rage as perceived opponents provoke reciprocal hatred. Responding with hatred worsens harm rather than solving underlying problems. Individuals bear responsibility to reduce harm while resisting the urge to hate. Actions to diminish hate and reduce violence include seeking solution-focused optimists to counter hate-fueled thinking and choosing de-escalation over retaliation.

Read at Psychology Today