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From: lrb@hpcnof.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.singles
Subject: Re: Give me a break!
Message-ID: <54700003@hpcnof.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 29-Nov-85 12:08:00 EST
Article-I.D.: hpcnof.54700003
Posted: Fri Nov 29 12:08:00 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 14-Dec-85 03:26:09 EST
References: <3850031@csd2.UUCP>
Organization: 29 Nov 85 10:08:00 MST
Lines: 43


                        Subject:  Hatred
Dear Isaac:
  That Nash poem is also one of my favorites, but the words for it (which
come from an /etc/fortune file of uncertain origin) are:

"Love" is a word that is frequently heard.
"Hate" is a word that is not.
Love, I am told, is more precious than gold!
Love, I have read, is hot!

But "Hate" is the verb that to me is superb,
And Love but a drug on the mart.
Any kiddie in school can love like a fool,
But HATING, my boy, is an art!!!


I agree with the point you are making about the trivialization of the
word "love" through overuse/misuse.  However, this tongue-in-cheek poem
(at least I hope for Ogden Nash's sake that it's tongue-in-cheek!) was
meaningful to me because of what it says about hate, rather than any
implied messages about the overuse of the word "love".
I have known people who seemed to be totally consumed by hatred for just
about everyone in their lives.  I first read this poem last year at the
exact same time that I was going through a very difficult period
facing intense hatred coming at me from two different people at once.
This poem really struck home because of the accurate way it describes
hatred being practiced as an "art".  Most of my life I have known hatred
in others and in myself as merely a momentary, highly emotional, white
hot anger that would pass in a matter of minutes (or even seconds) as
they or I cooled off.  This was (usually) followed by an apology.
But Nash seems to be talking about a different kind of hatred here - the
hatred that is carefully, methodically, artfully planned when the
emotions are NOT at a high.  (Like the difference between third & first
degree murder.)  Until a year ago, I would have never believed that a
state of mind such as this could exist in other people.  No amount of
words would have convinced me ........ it had to be a real life
situation.  This kind of hatred is truly the most scary thing I have ever
faced - scarier than any "thriller" movie I have seen, scarier than any
cliff I have climbed, scarier than those moments my car has started to
go out of control on an icy road.

Larry Bruns  ihnp4!hpfcla!l_bruns or hplabs!hpcnof!lrb