We hear advocates, activists, including myself, campaigning to stop hate, to put an end to it, but has any of us ever thought of what it would be like if it didn't exist? If all the hate in the world disappeared, what would that bring us? Satisfaction, pride and maybe every emotion linked with accomplishment. But what happens after? We rejoice and then we realize we have nothing left to fight for.
But that is only if it were true. Hate is, in fact, inevitable. It is a human emotion, and as long as our hearts are beating, hate will always be flowing in our blood. Just like love, lust, envy, etc. If you think about it, hate can actually be good. It puts bread on the table for some. It makes us think. It makes us speak out. It makes politicians take action. It makes some of us have something to prove. It creates contrast in everyday relationships. Hate becomes bad when it is impulsive and when it is abused. People who kill, hurt or take their own lives are victims of impulsive behaviour. If given time to think, these acts could (possibly) be controlled but in turn, become out of control. Why? There are many factors that contribute to this. Media is one. Hopelessness is another. Some strive for power, some lack it.
Disclaimer: As an LGBT Advocate, I am only going to focus on hate towards the members of the LGBT community.
Media shows us how people can act on their hate towards a specific person or group - homicide as hate crime and bullying are some. Studies have shown that bullying and suicide are greatly interconnected. News reports on teen suicides due to bullying show that there is actually that easy way out, if not just for awareness, and we know that media has a great influence on people especially young ones nowadays.
If you aren't aware, although I honestly hope you are, the toll in teen suicides due to bullying have increased over the past 5 years. In 2007, about 218 people aged 10 to 19 have committed suicide. And that is because of bullying alone.I cannot think of a better example of hate and how it is hardly controlled in certain situations but suicide and hate crime. We will never fully understand why some people do it. We can only try and prevent it. If we cannot stop hate, we can try and stop what comes after.
Media was our way in and it will be our way out. That is what we are here for. We campaign through different mediums because we are desperate to reach out to everybody easily. Yes, I did go there. Not many people may admit it, but we are desperate to prevent these acts from happening. Not because we wish to disturb the human lifecycle but because it is immoral. Morality is at stake here, and quite frankly, we have to act fast before the future generations pick up what is alarming to us as normal to them.
We say we all want to end hate, but what we actually want is to stop the acts we do out of hate. There just isn't an easy way to put it. We need it but just like any other human emotion, there are limits to it.
Let this serve as a wake up call, whether you are a hater, a victim or an advocate, we have to spread awareness. Let everybody know that there are ways out other than taking lives, whether their own or others'.
TL;DR: Hate is inevitable, but it can be controlled.
