What can we see in our world today? Do we constantly find people whose intentions are unsullied constantly unsuccessful or discredited? Hazlitt constantly takes on the abstract noun of “hate” in his essay “On the Pleasure of Hating.” Could he be realistic, because he argues well of the constant hatred that is seen in the public and private lives of the various populations. From young to old and poor to rich, hatred is found in the eyes of the author. At some parts, he seems to exaggerate the hatred, but sometimes the pessimism is actually a reality for some. It depends upon his audience. Some people can state that it is pessimistic, because he tends to focus on the bad and hardly in the good. However, others can argue that this is what is happening in the world, and Hazlitt is trying to describe reality to us, and our denial only inhibits acceptance of the current situation.

Hazlitt begins by comparing the hatred of the past with the disdain of the present. When a spider enters the room, he generalized that “a child, a woman, a clown, or a moralist a century ago, would have crushed the little reptile to death.” Why he used the word “reptile” instead of “arachnid” to classify the best is unknown, but irrelevant. His claim is that the hatred has reshaped itself so that aggressive behavior or violence would not occur. The hatred is still present, as “[he bears] the creature no ill-will, but still [he hates] the very sight of it.” The people have learned to control their hatred so that we would not exert harm upon those we dislike.

He thinks that if we did not have hatred, we “[would] lose the very spring of thought and action.” Is he stating that the world revolves around hatred, rather than love? Why would hate be the motivator of thought and reasoning? According to him, the other virtues are destroyed. He describes pain as “bittersweet”, and “love turns, with a little indulgence, to indifferent or disgust: hatred alone is immortal.” He provides a plethora of examples of the hatred found in society, such as the massacre of insects for sport, and people regarding accidents and inhumanities as though it is entertainment rather than of concern. Fires and executions are considered spectacles rather than tragedies, and nuisances are left to the public because they provide profit.

The world seems to be more after discovery rather than companionship, according to Hazlitt. The author stated that “the only intimacy I never found to flinch or face was a purely intellectual one.” It wasn’t about establishing relationships with others or getting to know anybody. It was simply academia, which placed only those at a professional relationship, never really a friendship at all. They “regarded them no more in [their] experiments than “mice in an air-pump:” or like malefactors, they were regularly cut down and given over to the dissecting-knife.” It was never compassion, no mercy, just hardline, by-the-book procedure that massacred in cold blood, which they stop after a while.

Hatred seems to have another effect upon us. It makes us look for variety and change in our lives, for “we grow tired of everything”. Ridiculing others seems to create change, which is why “turning others into ridicule and congratulating ourselves on their defects” somehow never gets old. We somehow become listless with the bleak, daily routine and try to bring forth more “productivity” with making fun of others, in order to get that feeling of satisfaction. However, some hatred causes harm to others and to oneself, because it doesn’t make the one better and the others are worse. After exposure to anything, we gradually find the negative things of others, and are found showing those things to others, in an effort to create change to them. However, it only can create division among the population, and more hatred.

Tragedies or incidences can also spur hatred among the masses. When the tragedy (such as the massacre in Munich or 9/11), people can spur nationalism against the group that caused such atrocities. People began taking down those who were of the Muslim faith or expressed characteristics of Arabics. Murders occurred to those outside Islam, such as Hindus for their turbans. Muslims were placed under scrutiny, deprived of their rights, mainly because the terrorists that caused such horrific acts caused such problems. People were massacred by the Mossad because of their affiliation of Black September to the point that it was pointless. As stated previously, they just began hating what they did because they needed change.

What are we supposed to describe in this society of hate, realism or pessimism? Could it be realistic because we are describing a society, and just people can’t accept that it’s real? Some people can state that it is pessimistic, but our society is now to the point where hatred is becoming real, possibly even too real. What are we creating as we hide our hatred? Do we express humanity or just restraint that will not be able to be controlled in the long run? What about our future? Are we going to be able to express tolerance of others, or just continue the hate because that’s what we thrive upon? So much for life, because somehow the world now revolves on hate, not love.