Why do they hate their neighbors? Why do they hate?

[Grolph_]

When a Trump flag goes up it tells you something. When a MAGA hat is donned it says the same thing. It does not necessarily indicate support for the orange anus. It does indicate that the owner hates something.

The one thing that connects all of the Trump supporters is hate.

They hate progressives. They hate women. They hate LGBTQIA+. They hate men who support women and minorities. When it comes down to it, they hate a lot of people. If your neighbor is flying a Trump flag, they probably hate someone in the neighborhood. They may hate me. They may hate you. They probably will never know how many people they hate at the grocery store.

I believe that hate is a learned behavior. You usually learn it from your parents, you often learn it from your peers.
That means that hate is a choice. If you choose to hate, you are pro-choice.

Part of evolving includes changing behaviors as you learn from past mistakes.
My grandmother stood at the front door yelling slurs at the migrant workers our local economy depended upon. I do not.
It is my goal to be a better person than my father was, I hope i am succeeding.

[RandySF]

1. It's their upbringing at home.

[Grolph_]

4. One of the reasons I oppose a lot of current home schooling

It isolates adolescents too much, they never learn how to cope with people outside of their family.

[RandySF]

7. Also, some people are just rotten.

[Diamond_Dog]

63. I agree 100% Grolph

[appalachiablue]

71. Very good point. +1 It's also manipulated behavior, 2 Mins of Hate, Orwell's 1984:

[Seinan Sensei]

44. "What you are is your parents' fault"

"If you stay that way, it's your own."

[Grolph_]

66. I like that

[2roos]

65. Yes - Science backs up you claim - corporal punishment

In Adorno et.als. original work on the Authoritarian personality they note that Authoritarians "simply don't like people." Much of this has to do with domination based parenting and corporal punishment. Imagine if your family members hit you, you will learn that people are threatening - thus the conservatives' heightened threat response. Religious notion of "sparing the rod" - yikes, a means for creating more little authoritarians. Adorno et. al. actually conclude (in 1950!) that if we loved our children more we would have fewer authoritarians - (although there is also a genetic component.)

[Meadowoak]

76. but I know families where siblings that grew up in the same home, couldn't be more opposite, not sure how that works?

[Aristus]

2. Some guy down the street has a banner up in his front yard screeching:

”JOE BIDEN SUPPORTERS OWE ME REPARATIONS!!!”

Great. We owe this dick money because he supports Trump?

[Irish_Dem]

9. What about all the horrible damage the GOP has caused to this country?

The damage the GOP has done is incalculable.

[Grolph_]

14. Never forget the horrible job the greedy did with Covid

Hundreds of thousands of unnecessary deaths.
Billions (trillions?) of wealth transfer.

[Irish_Dem]

18. Yes and the theft of so many top secret documents.

Sold to our enemies. Untold damage.

Our allies will never trust us again.
Rightly so.

Yes the transfer of so many US assets to enemies and the GOP.

The damage to our election system and democracy.

This list goes on and on.

And they demand reparations.

They are criminals pretending to be the victims.

[AllaN01Bear]

36. and thefts of covid checks .

[SWBTATTReg]

70. Sure. Here are my dog droppings for the last week. Every week, leave your weekly dog or cat droppings, surely

soon enough, you'll finally get him paid up w/ enough crap that equals his stupid and selfish sign. And of course, don't do this. I'm too nice but perhaps put a sign up stating that you would pay reparations, but unfortunately tRUMP's bankrupted the Country already.

On another tangent, personally, the guy is onto something, but he's approaching it from the wrong angle. It's tRUMP and these idiots that are harming the American way of life, causing untold amounts of stress among all Americans, because of their singular message of hate.

They say that hate, akin to jealousy, is a learned emotion, for as human beings, we all learned that working together, we get so much more accomplished than being alone, and hateful. Also is why they're jealous, they see our joy, our happiness, our accomplishments (not 'my', but 'our' accomplishments), and they can't stand to see anyone happy, or the like. Pathetic.

With the way things are going in the world, we ALL need to get together and get some pretty major stuff done in the world. And I feel that we will. The selfish billionaire that tRUMP claims he supposedly is, will never understand an unselfish moment. One more reason not to elect such a selfish prick (pardon my language). That's why Kamala and Mr. Watz have floated my boat and I'm going along for the ride!

[NewHendoLib]

3. They are told to do so in the media they watch and listen to

And from the pulpit.

[Grolph_]

8. The media is just your handheld temple to mammon.

They twisted a religion based on love and acceptance.
How did the good words of a young prophet get so weird?
More people have been killed in the name of a god than you would think a benevolent god would want.

[NewHendoLib]

20. Humans form cults of ignorance so easily

[Cosmocat]

34. Correct, they have been programmed

though I agree w the OP that its a choice to allow it to occur.

[liberal N proud]

5. These are people that have always had a problem with people not like them

[Grolph_]

11. I feel sorry for their journey through life

The joy of learning and discovery usually comes from interacting with people who are not like you.

There are millions of flavors out there that you have yet to experience.

[liberal N proud]

80. They know not what they miss.

[LakeArenal]

83. Everyone has a story. I find them all interesting.

Especially the ones who seem the opposite of me.

The problem there is those opposite to me don’t like anybody’s story but their own.

[RAB910]

6. Yoda explained it years ago

“Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.” — Yoda

[harumph]

42. Sometimes anger leads to action that must be taken - no?

Not many Bodhisattvas on the battlefield.

on edit: I guess what I'm saying is that there is justitfied hate vs the silly got a chip on my shoulder type of hate.

[Grolph_]

46. Action should be taken to right a wrong, not because of hatred

The problem comes down to deciding what is wrong and who gets to make that decision.

As a citizen of the United States of America, I have accepted that many decisions will be made by others. We are a representative democracy.
When hatred is blended into the decision making process, we usually make bad decisions.

[dslyahoo]

60. Righteous anger not justified hate

The former is worthy in the right circumstance, the latter is never right. Anger can drive action, but doesn’t necessarily change the person. Hate changes the person.

[Walleye]

10. It's an addiction, anger, and hatred, everything else in their life pales by comparison

[Grolph_]

12. Hatred as their only source of dopamine

Sad, so sad.

[Walleye]

15. That's it exactly

[Grolph_]

17. They should get a better drug

[louslobbs]

59. I suggest a prescription of ❤️love, compassion,

and kindness.❤️ And an intravenous infusion of self awareness.

[usonian]

13. Shared hate is the glue that keeps the cult together.

Otherwise they have nothing.
Are nothing.
But tools and fools.

[uponit7771]

16. They've been told hate us okay and it's normal

[modrepub]

19. Deflection From Their Failings

I feel a lot of this hatred is directed at others because some folks can't accept that their misery is self inflicted. Better to blame anyone else for their lot in life than to face up to the fact that it's their own decisions or lack of constructive actions that account for their own short comings.

[Grolph_]

21. Mistakes, I've made a few

Learning from mistakes is part of evolving.

[birdographer]

24. I agree with this

It's a response to "I didn't get that!" when someone has something they don't. So they hate them. I think the lines eventually blur and they basically hate everyone. They hate us for not hating. Bitter, angry people. What a shitty way to go through life. It shows on their faces; it's no longer as difficult as it used to be to spot MAGAts--their faces have grown permanently worn, aged, and angry after so many years of hating.

[Sky Jewels]

57. During the pandemic I used to look at the Herman Cain Awards on Reddit, and

I noticed that a lot of the anti-vax, anti-Fauci, anti-liberal Trumpy types looked 10, 20, or 30 years older than their actual ages. Their faces were warped with hate and anger. So many of their reprinted Facebook posts espoused their right to do whatever the fuck they wanted without regard for consequences, 'cuz "freedom!" This mindset led many of them to eat horrible, fried meat-heavy/no vegetable diets and never exercise and in general make terrible decisions that aged them prematurely, ruined their health permanently or killed them outright.

[Sky Jewels]

55. I think this is true, especially with a lot of the straight white male Magas.

As white penis possessors, they feel entitled to be naturally superior to those they see as their "lessers" (women, people of color, gays, etc.). But deep down they are insecure and feel like losers who didn't obtain the wealth, status and super model girlfriend/wives they expected back in the 70s or 80s or 90s or whatever decade they came of age in. They are angry about this dichotomy and need to bury their conflicted feelings and overcompensate for their shortcomings by displays of toxic masculinity, such as overt support of Trump.

[twodogsbarking]

22. Hate is taught. My mother was a racist. We had many rounds.

I don't care what color you are or your sex but if you do then fuck you.

[Clouds Passing]

74. Both my parents were narcissists and bigots.

I don’t know how I did not end up that way. Do/did I have some bigoted unconscious thoughts and behaviors because I was taught them? Yes, but I am able to look within honestly and change those to awareness, empathy and compassion. Honest awareness of Self (insight), that’s the characteristic which defines who remains bigoted and who evolves above it.

A deep seated love/care for all beings is the core.

[twodogsbarking]

75. My older sister told me that she looked in the mirror every day and said I am not going to be like her.

She was about 50 at the time and is now near 80. Likely still does it.

[Clouds Passing]

78. That is beautiful.

We all have our coping strategies.

Many of us were lucky enough to have been born rejecting hatred and bigotry.

[legallyblondeNYC]

23. Love Story Gone Sour.

Some believe that the source of this sort of world view and behavior is unresolved grievance -- over a teenage love story or teenage bullying by the other kids. Criminal lawyers and analysts will tell you that the mindset is -- they rejected me, so "I'll show her..."

[Jean Genie]

25. Fear

And that hatred is based on fear, in my opinion. Fear of the "other," fear of the unknown ...

It's so easy to remain fearful, ignorant and angry when you're being fed bullshit, denied a decent job, decent income, and/or a decent education.

Fear and ignorance breed hatred. And there are far too many of "those in power" who like it that way!

[Grolph_]

32. A parent is supposed to help a child grow through their fears.

To be afraid is a survival instinct.
Hate is different, hate is the placement of blame on others for your own shortcomings.

[hibbing]

26. Their enemies are Americans n/t

[dlk]

27. Because most of them hate themselves

The rest are psychopaths snd that is an entirely different animal.

[Grolph_]

35. It seems like the psychopaths are on their side too

[dlk]

81. Birds of a feather...

[BlueKentuckyGirl]

28. '''You've Got To Be Taught"

The song from Rodgers and Hammerstein's "South Pacific" says it perfectly...."you've got to be taught, before it's too late. Before you are six, or seven, or eight. To hate all the people your relatives hate. You've got to be carefully taught, You've got to be carefully taught.:

[Beachnutt]

29. They teach and encourage Hate

in most churches now.
I stopped attending church because of it.

[tavernier]

30. Yesterday I came up to a red traffic light.

As I approached I saw in the other lane a truck with the bumper sticker that read Fuck Biden. As I pulled up, I was right next to him. On the back of my car is a sticker that says Harris/Walz. I bet the people in back of us were having a big laugh! As the light turned green there was a semi in front of F-Biden, so my lane was moving faster, so I drove by him, certain that he had now seen my Harris/Walz sticker. The semi soon turned and moments later my F Biden buddy roared past me, loud as he could get with his over priced monster truck. I just giggled and carried on.

[Grolph_]

37. I spent extra money driving to the store because we are different

Someday they will understand that a gas guzzler gives the government more of their money in the form of fuel taxes.

[tavernier]

47. I have a VW Rabbit.

If I had wanted to I could have kept up with him. My little bunny is pretty punchy! But he needed to make his Silverback noises, so I just stayed in my usual city driving speed. I don’t need to prove anything. I don’t belong to a weirdo cult.

[Evolve Dammit]

49. Probably used $20.00 in gas to show you his anger

[tavernier]

51. Yes. I was impressed!

[AllaN01Bear]

31. 1 thing i found about the rs is that they are so jealous of everything.

people of color . gays . women . anyone iota different or on the fore front of change they go after u. my late mom said that.

[Grolph_]

38. I think that is another of the deadly sins

[SheltieLover]

33. They likely hate themselves, but are unaware of it

Why else would anyone behave in such a rupulsive manner?

[patphil]

39. Fear drives a lot of this, and that's why the anti-woke movement is such a big deal for the Republicans.

Take away books, wreck the educational system, put barriers up between people...anything they can do to keep their people ignorant and afraid of the "not us".
If you're awake and tuned into social, economic, religious, and ethnic issues, you have a far better chance of understanding other people, and accepting them.
So, woke is bad.
Being a brain dead zombie is good.

[Grolph_]

41. What I am hearing throughout the thread, ignorance is a core ingredient of hate.

You can buy 'em books and buy 'em books.
All they do is rip off the covers and eat the pages.

[OldBaldy1701E]

40. "I believe that hate is a learned behavior."

It is.

However, 'pettiness' and 'envy' are completely innate behavior and it is only by learning to rise above said traits that we can finally eradicate bigotry envy, and hate.

However...

[kimbutgar]

43. If you weren't given a lot of love as a child you grow up knowing hate more than love

I always saying people with bad childhoods end up being repukes.

Everyone that I know who is a repuke/ convicted felon supporter have told me of their rough childhood’s.

[Grolph_]

48. Some of the most liberal people I know grew up in bad places

They knew they were in a bad place.
They don't want others to have to grow up as they did.
Someone in their life allowed them to love.
They made their choice.

[Evolve Dammit]

53. And many packed up and moved to more tolerant areas

[thucythucy]

45. I have a neighbor who fits your description to a T.

He has a huge "Fuck Biden" flag hanging from the front of his house, side by side with a "Trump 24" banner and a lawn signs that says "Take back our country."

He has been involved for years now in a feud with a neighbor across the street, who is a progressive. The feud isn't about politics per se, but rather his other obnoxious behaviors. I'm certain he put out his display in large part to piss off the neighbor he hates.

I feel sorry for his kids. God knows what they hear at home, considering what their parents--their father--is willing to share in public.

[Grolph_]

50. The best hope is that his kids take it as a prescient warning

I certainly hope they don't rely upon Dad's behavior as a Users Guide.

[no_hypocrisy]

52. They can't help it. They're misanthropes.

[Evolve Dammit]

54. MAHA. Make America Hate Again is encouraged and praised

[WhoaDude]

56. 30y

30y of being lied to by Fox. So now multi generational. At least this has put it on steroids.

Have a listen to ‘You Have to be Carefully Taught’. Make sense to me.

[LakeArenal]

58. My trumper is rude to every server in a restaurant.

Says inappropriate shit all the time.

Last week talked about dog anal glands at lunch.

A week after calling me stupid, she says she never said that.

I had a trump landlord who “forgot” we paid an additional $900 pet deposit. He “forgot” we paid $300 for a repair he promised to reimburse.

They seem always to be “ on the make”. How can one screw a person without them realizing it.

Sad part, my parents bought Limbaugh all the way down.

[Grolph_]

61. A lack of manners

MAPA?? Make America Polite Again?

Maybe they lack self-awareness. They don't know what a fool looks like.

[colorado_ufo]

68. Every day I am so glad to be relieved of Rush Limbaugh's spewing of hatred and venom.

At least, we don't have to contend with that. And Trump is going downhill fast.

[LakeArenal]

82. Yes. But not really fast enough

[enigmania]

62. They are too

lazy too find their own way.

[mwb970]

64. "Part of evolving includes changing behaviors as you learn from past mistakes."

Studies have repeatedly shown that conservatives are unable to perform this seemingly simple mental operation. Confronted with new evidence that contradicts their current narrative, rather than "evolving" they will double down on the false belief and declare the new evidence to be "lies" or "fake news".

[Grolph_]

67. Is it OK to call them stupid now?

[mwb970]

69. Well, they clearly are not wired for critical thinking or logical analysis.

I know a few of these people, and they are each really good at something, so in those realms I would not call them stupid. But when it comes to trump and political matters, their brains turn to cottage cheese and out comes the cultspeak.

[DoBW]

72. Lately ....

I'm occupied with the same line of questioning, and sorting it out

[The Mouth]

73. The only people I can say I genuinely hate are thieves

Be they CEOs that steal wages or the shoplifters who rea responsible for stores locking stuff in cabinets. All should be eliminated, with prejudice, followed by a fair trial.

I've had tools of my trade and family heirlooms stolen, fuck thieves, I genuinely hate them.

And the biggest thieves are those who wear fancy suits and steal millions or billions.

[raccoon]

84. "Some will rob you with a six-gun, and some with a fountain pen." -Woody Guthrie

[Clouds Passing]

77. This is a wonderful OP, Grolph. Thoughtful posts from caring aware people.

Their inability to stifle their urges for revenge plays a huge role in their hatefulness toward others. When they are taught to believe that other genders, races, religions are victimizing them their urge for revenge kicks in. Revenge is the snake eating it’s own tail.

[Grolph_]

79. And revenge gets you nowhere

Hate and revenge are net negatives to society.

... dig two graves...

[samplegirl]

85. You are definitely indeed.

I have the same problem in my family. My brother voted for Trump love Trump. He worked all his life in a union factory has more money than he will live to spend now after we've divided because of him he says he won't vote for Trump. the damage is done.
Says he will not vote for Kamala. My mom and dad were both Democrats their entire life. He got a little money in his bank account and he was Trump all the way.

[kairos12]

86. I would add a Trump logo indicates

a willingness to do violence.

[hay rick]

87. I have no explanation.

For years, based on my lying eyes, I have believed that MAGA is fueled largely by spite and resentment. I understand that a lot of the resentment is fueled by narratives originated by Fox News and others in the self-described conservative media. What I don't understand is why so many people seem pre-disposed to buy into the victimization and scapegoating. It seems like our society has a severe mental health problem.