Quote by Arthur Schopenhauer, Originally
Hatred is a thing of the heart, contempt a thing of the head. Hatred and contempt are decidedly antagonistic towards one another and mutually exclusive. A great deal of hatred, indeed, has no other source than a compelled respect for the superior qualities of some other person; conversely, if you were to consider hating every miserable wretch you met you would have your work cut out: it is much easier to despise them one and all. True, genuine contempt, which is the obverse of true, genuine pride, stays hidden away in secret and lets no one suspect its existence: for if you let a person you despise notice the fact, you thereby reveal a certain respect for him, inasmuch as you want him to know how low you rate him
Summary
This quote highlights the distinction between hatred and contempt. It suggests that hatred stems from a grudging admiration for someone's superior qualities, while contempt arises from a sense of superiority and a lack of respect for others. The quote also implies that hatred requires effort, as it is not practical to hate every individual one encounters, whereas contempt is an easier sentiment to entertain. Ultimately, it suggests that genuine contempt is kept hidden, as revealing it to someone would betray a certain level of acknowledgment and importance assigned to the despised individual.
Topics
Hate
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