Expressions of hatred are on the rise in this country. That’s not to say that hatred is on the rise, just that the expressions are.
Even after people realize that there are negative voices talking to them in their head—judgmental, even hateful voices—it’s difficult for people to get that it’s not personal. Those hateful voices are not saying what they’re saying BECAUSE…. The messages are not BECAUSE you are doing something wrong, there is something wrong with you, you’ve made a mistake, you are inadequate, you are less than you should be. The hateful messages are being delivered because hate exists, because hate is a force, hate is a “thing.” It’s a process that exists.
Hatred exists in society because it exists in the heads of people who comprise society. People experiencing enough self-loathing will find others to join with and then collectively project that self-loathing out as hatred of others. But that’s not happening BECAUSE…. People are not hated because of the color of their skin or their religion or their sexual identity/preference or because they’re female. People are hated because hatred exists; hatred is always looking for a reason to express itself and for an object for that expression.
A person is doing whatever. The negative voices in the head begin a campaign for them to quit—a relationship, a job, a friendship, a neighborhood, an exercise program, or a practice. It’s that same process of hate, those same voices, that eventually lead to some being convinced that they should quit living. Extinguishing life, laughter, love, compassion, connection, joy, everything that is beautiful and good is the object of hate. If that sounds extreme, just think of the resistance that arises in reaction to being offered something that might support you. Those negative voices are right there to give you a dozen reasons why you shouldn’t pursue what might lead to love, joy, well-being, laughter.
If you consider that outward expressions of hatred are a way to deflect the self-loathing being directed inward, you will see this is an excellent argument for not indulging negativity in your head. If you want to change the world, don’t indulge any negativity in your head. Ignore those voices of self-hate.
In gasshō
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