Ep. 59: The Psychology of Hate

It is inevitable that you will experience hatred when you don’t fit into the cultural norm. Being Black in America is a risk. Being Black and gay is a whole new level of risk.   

In the wake of the attack on actor Jussie Smollet, I’ve been thinking a lot about hatred; specifically, about the hatred expressed towards marginalized groups.  This episode is all about the mental and emotional processes that create and feed that hatred.

The psychology of hatred involves a complicated cocktail of fear, shame, and disgust, but what is it about human beings that makes us hate so powerfully and so violently?

In today’s episode, we look at:

• Why humans hate
• How to free yourself from the hatred of/for others
• How to free yourself from the internalization of that hatred
  

We’ll dive into the groundings of hatred in self-preservation, survival, and pack-mindedness, as well as how our own fears that provoke us into hating others. We’ll talk about our deep-seated fear of what’s different, but also the deep seeded fear of what’s familiar. Why do we so often hate things in other people that we don’t like or understand in ourselves?

My hope is that by the end of today’s podcast, you’ll be better able to understand the psychology that motivates hatred towards you and towards others (whether you are a member of the Black LGBTQ+ community or not), and to recognize and quiet anger you might feel in your own heart. It’s a serious episode, but I think it’s really important to address.