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* Hatred is a thing of the heart, contempt a thing of the head. Hatred and contempt are decidedly antagonistic towards one another and mutually exclusive. A great deal of hatred, indeed, has no other source than a compelled respect for the superior qualities of some other person; conversely, if you were to consider hating every miserable wretch you met you would have your work cut out: it is much easier to despise them one and all. True, genuine contempt, which is the obverse of true, genuine pride, stays hidden away in secret and lets no one suspect its existence: for if you let a person you despise notice the fact, you thereby reveal a certain respect for him, inasmuch as you want him to know how low you rate him - which betrays not contempt but hatred, which excludes contempt and only affects it. Genuine contempt, on the other hand, is the unsullied conviction of the worthlessness of another.

Arthur Schopenhauer#50

PsychologyEthicsEmotionEmotionsHatred

About this quote

What does it mean?
Hatred stems from emotional respect for someone's superior qualities, while contempt is a rational judgment of worthlessness; they cannot coexist.
In plain terms
You can hate someone you respect or despise someone you see as worthless, but not both at once.
What can you take from it?
Recognize that hatred and contempt are mutually exclusive emotions.

Where it applies

  • conflicts with rivals
  • evaluating others' character

Putting it to work

  • reflect on underlying respect
  • avoid mixing emotional and rational judgments

Questions to consider

  • When have you felt both hatred and contempt?
  • Which is more destructive?

Another view

The distinction may be too abstract for everyday emotional experiences.

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