Why Hate Feels So Familiar in a Polarized World

“Hate is a strong word,” we’ve been taught. However, today, it seems as though the world is so plagued by hate. It has become all too common to hear about wars, hate crimes, violence, and harassment in the news daily. We have become increasingly desensitised to events of this kind because of their frequency. But that does not excuse us from questioning the path on which humanity is headed. It also does not excuse us from considering the long-term implications this may have if it continues or worsens. An important discussion in this context is of rampant ideological polarization and growing division among people.

The world today appears to have been split between East and West, left and right, us and them to such an extent that we have long forgotten concepts like peaceful coexistence and universal brotherhood. The increasing polarization in the world today is not just an observation; it is a serious issue in the global scenario. The Global Risks Report by the World Economic Forum identifies it as one of the top three short-term risks (Global Risks Report 2024 | World Economic Forum, n.d.).

The real issue is not with differences themselves but with the extent both sides uphold their positions and the sheer inability of either side to consider the other’s viewpoint or find a middle ground. A society’s participatory nature is marked by debate but it is the extremes to which people cling to their beliefs that often manifest as fanaticism and bigotry. 

Read More: What Is The Psychology Behind Hate?

The Psychology of Hate 

At the core of hatred is the “us vs them” bias. We often view people through the lens of their identities, not as individuals, grouping those with similar identities as “us” and automatically labelling everyone else as “them.” However, a bias is, by definition, a blind spot, and often, without even realizing it, we place people into distinct categories, viewing the group we belong to as “better” than the rest (Us Vs. Them: Why Our Society and the World Are Becoming Increasingly Divided – Blog – Julia Kolodko, n.d.).

It’s a strange way we’ve learned to feel better about ourselves. This bias makes us more aware of the commonalities within our community and the differences that supposedly set us apart from others. Yet, these perceived differences, though material, are ultimately abstract societal constructions that obscure the universal experience of being human. 

Evolution may have made us more inclined to perceive threats from those “unlike us,” as this instinct once helped protect us. However, in the modern world, it has led to prejudice and stereotyping.

Prejudice refers to an irrational or hostile attitude toward another person, group, or race, often without basis or justification. Stereotyping, on the other hand, is where we overgeneralize and reduce an entire community to a single, often misleading, mental image. Today, the rise of xenophobia—the vilification of those perceived as strange or foreign—serves as proof of the divisive nature of prejudice, which has been at the root of hostility toward different races, nationalities, and ethnicities (Kulik, 2024). 

Read More: The Psychology of Prejudice and Stereotyping

The Role of Social Media 

Perhaps a cognitive bias that helps to feed into stereotypes is confirmation bias. After stereotypes are formed, a tendency to look for information supporting them and to dismiss contradicting evidence that challenges them appears (Stereotypes – the Decision Lab, n.d.). Thanks to social media and the algorithmic ability to identify and amplify our beliefs, this blind spot has grown even larger.

Confirmation bias might partly explain why echo chambers continue to crop up on social media platforms. As per the group polarization theory, an echo chamber may play as a means to escalate an opinion held in a group to further extreme opinions by degrees and exclude opposing viewpoints (Sunstein, 1999). Social media platforms that echo our own hateful beliefs distance us further away from the rest of the world.

This sense of ironic disconnection combined with anonymity provides a breeding ground for cyber-bullies who hide behind a two-dimensional screen to emotionally abuse and harass others to the point of harming their identity (Peebles, 2014). Name-calling, death threats, and offensive remarks have become usual and show the ugly side of humanity. All this hate is detrimental to the well-being, of not only individuals but society as a whole. 

Read More: Cyberbullying and its Impact on the mental health of Youth

Towards Empathy and Co-existence 

It’s naive to believe that we are free from hate and are compassionate, tolerant human beings at all times. While it sounds ridiculous, admitting our capability for bias, prejudice, or even hatred might make us more tolerant of other people who discriminate. Of course, this does not mean we are always in the wrong or should let things slide. Rather, it is a recognition that, as flawed human beings, we all have imperfections that can cause us to project our insecurities onto others.

Being able to identify projection patterns or attempts to actively harm people’s identities teaches us not to take things personally and the need to prevent the continuing cycle of anger and aggression (Leonard, 2018). This part of self-awareness is essential to address the larger global issues. As the great thinker Carl Sagan puts it “Avoidable human misery is more often caused not so much by stupidity as by ignorance, particularly our ignorance about ourselves” 

It’s rather ironic that in this age of easier information accessibility and connected social media, we are more uninformed and disengaged than ever before. Ignorance is not always bliss. As responsible global citizens, the first step to tackling hate is to know what’s going on around us.

We must recognize it first, but that is not the end. Critical thinking and developing sensitivity are non-negotiables. We need to find out where our stereotypes come from, how they influence our judgment, and what we can do to change them. With social media, learn to view the online world with a healthy dose of scepticism and a critical eye. This will help you avoid being a victim of confirmation bias.

There is also so much that mere exposure can do. The contact hypothesis states that prejudices are reduced when we come in contact with people who are different from us. We come to learn that at the core of our existence, we are all alike, regardless of the colour of our skin or our cultural differences. Working towards common goals and collaborating with others can reduce conflicts. This applies whether in workplaces, academic institutions, or even on a global scale (Hopper, 2019).

Among all species, perhaps only humans are hell-bent on hating each other. It is truly ridiculous how we have turned against our kind. The hate we harbour has become so destructive to our survival. In this critical moment in history, we are reminded of the importance of connection and compassion. We must build empathy and see people beyond their labels and identities. In the end, all we have is each other. 

Conclusion

To conclude on a spiritual note, this verse from the Upanishads shows the futility of hate: 

yastu sarvāṇi bhūtānyātmanyevānupaśyati |  sarvabhūteṣu cātmānaṃ tato na vijugupsate || 

Meaning, “He who sees everything in himself and himself in everything, by that understanding, feels no revulsion” (Gunwant, 2022). When one realizes the unity and the shared essence of all beings and situations, those feelings of separation, judgment, or aversion diminish. Recognizing the oneness of existence brings compassion, acceptance, and peace, reminding us that we are all part of the same whole.