I hate you!

Hate in all its forms

The human being in all its “natural complexity” is made up of a myriad of very different emotions. Joy, sadness or anger, we go from one to the other more or less frequently, over the years or even hours. All these emotions bring with them a host of transformations, whether physical, psychological or in our attitude to others. Indeed, it’s not out of the question for sadness to be followed by tears, or joy by a broad smile, or even euphoria. But there’s one that really gets under your skin, that makes you “see red” and can lead you to cross boundaries you never thought possible. We’re talking about hatred.

To quote Victor Cherbuliez in La ferme du Choquard (1883): “La haine n’a pas seulement de bons yeux, elle a l’ouïe fine et le sommeil léger”. Indeed, this feeling can take on many faces, and tends to intrude into every aspect of our lives. Anything unknown, feared or simply different can be subject to a certain aversion. Examples include racial hatred, religious wars and witch-hunts.

Hatred has not disappeared over the centuries, but has evolved with the means of communication at its disposal. Indeed, the digital world, a space open to all, is no exception to this animosity. Personified by haters, hatred saturates the news feeds of all social networks. As an easy-to-use, anonymous means of expression, networks are becoming easy receptacles for people to express their anxieties, fears and hatred, sheltered from reprisals.

As part of the event “Sur les chemins de la haine” ( On the paths of hatred ) to be held on October 29 and 30, 2021 at the Palais de Rumine, the BCUL – site Riponne is offering a selection of books on the different facets of hatred to help you better understand this emotion, to be found from October 11 to 30 at the entrance to the Agora.

• Source for header image: https: //www.woodenearth.com/blogs/wooden-blog/the-most-interesting-lateral-thinking-puzzles