Hating on Liberalism

William Hazlitt’s “On the Pleasure of Hating” expresses a unity of hatred among the people. Hating the same things can create friendships and unite whole countries. Hating is one thing that all people have in common. I don’t care if you consider yourself to be the most open-minded, kind-hearted person. There is something (or someone) that you hate, and that’s not a bad thing. Hating on the things that grind your gears is perfectly normal, and it’s good to express your frustration. Hazlitt introduces the idea of hatred in his essay with the hatred of a spider that is crawling across the floor. Hazlitt says that even though he hates the spider, he will not harm it. In fact, he lifts up a mat that may be an obstacle for the spider. In class, Akanksha said that the spider may be a metaphor for liberalism; despite people’s ill thoughts towards liberalism, there is an agreement that it should not be harmed. Hazlitt says that “a child, a woman, a clown, or a moralist a century ago, would have crushed the little reptile.” However, Hazlitt considers himself to be an intellectual, and he has matured past these acts of violence and infringement, but the hatred is still there. Liberalism strives to reach the pinnacle of human rights, tolerance, and equality, and the majority of people would agree that is a good thing. However, in practice, people are angered by liberalism. Some would say that we’re taking toleration too far. Some would argue that the line should be drawn to prevent gay couples from marrying, but isn’t that an advancement of equality and tolerance? Should liberalism be limited because this type of equality offends or bothers a portion of the population? Their resistance and outcry against the furthering of equality is a bashing of liberalism and its progression. I have also recently noticed a hatred of liberalism on my social media feeds regarding others’ rights and the rule of law. I am from Charleston, and I know many people that were upset when Dylann Roof’s trial was postponed from February 2016 to July 2016. The trial was delayed because the prosecution is still not sure if they want to seek the death penalty. Many people were outraged and demanded that he did not need a trial and should be killed right away. This anger is completely understandable, but Dylann has the right to a trial. The Constitution gives every individual the right to a trial and jury. People are angry (and rightfully so), but their emotion is not reason enough to compromise the rights granted by the Constitution. Compromising these rights would be in direct conflict with the liberalism that supposedly guides our nation. People hate on liberalism when it doesn’t benefit them or align with their beliefs. Liberalism does not care what your opinion is, and it shouldn’t. The goal of liberalism is not to improve one specific life but all lives, and this can cause a lot of hatred in those that feel that liberalism has hurt or hindered. But are these people going to try to take down liberalism like they would a small spider? No, they’re going to look at liberalism with disdain and keep right on hating.