Reality Check: No idealists here?

Is hate a stronger emotion than love?

Yes.

Everyone wants to believe in their heart that love can conquer all and that love will win out in the end but if I wrote that article arguing for love, I fear I would be ignoring the reality of the world in which we as humans live.

So this is the reality check that doesn't wax lyrical about how love is great and all conquering but considers both sides of the coin.

In considering the world in which we live I have considered which emotion has the largest, longer lasting effect not on the individual but on humanity as a whole. This is what I have defined as the strength of the emotion.

Hate will consume an individual, group or nations and will last for generations until people can no longer remember the original reason for hating but will continue to do so because it is easier than to try to understand.

We hate people for all kinds of reasons including those originally borne out of love. Love can turn to hate which can lead to death and destruction. How many times have you seen on the news stories about jealous lovers going on killing sprees.

Hate has lead to war, genocide, racism and ethnic cleansing, it has divided families, countries and the world. The acts of terrorism by small groups fuelled by hate have changed the world for ever as the effects of such atrocious acts ripple around the world changing society beyond all recognition.

Love can change an individuals life but can only last as long as they live. Love is an individual selfless act where as hate is almost always a selfish act. It is this that gives hate its strength, it requires less energy and is all about what you as an individual want.

I want love to be the stronger emotion and on an individual level it can be, we can all learn to love rather than hate but love needs to work twice as hard to overcome hate.

In arguing that hate is stronger I recognise the sadness of that argument, humanity who has the power and ability to create such beauty turns so easily to hate to cause so much destruction. We all need the dreamers in the world who state that love is stronger because we should all strive for that ideal in order to make a better world for everyone.