Fear, Hatred And Guilt

FEAR, HATRED AND GUILT


People are punished everywhere. In most cases, the reasons are the same. In almost all cases there is the punished and the executor of the punishment.

Why are people punished?

Because I am afraid of a person, therefore, I hate him or because I hate him that's why I am afraid of him. Either way, I must punish him before he punishes me.

Or is it that there always has to be a punished and a punisher like a victim and a victor?

After fear and hate guilt follows to fill the emotional gap caused by the fact that the punishment itself was not necessary because fear and hate are not the solutions. Instead of correcting the situation the feeling of guilt leads to further oppression of the oppressed.

People are punished because they are unequal in the social or economic hierarchy. People are punished as they do not belong to the same cast, creed or color. The perceived inequality leads to fear and hate and then the punishment and finally guilt.

The other day I heard a fellow traveler, talking to his group of friends emphatically without remorse that the wrongdoers should be punished without mercy. I wanted to ask him who decides the wrongdoer but more than that I was not sure if he was speaking so out of fear, hate or guilt or all of the three. In any case, I was not in that group.

This happens under our cast system. The low cast is subjected to subjugation. Is it out of fear- what if his lot improves and he challenges our authority? Crush him before he can do that. Is it because we hated him anyway? Is it is because we had the feeling of guilt of suppression of the weak? Is it because of all three put together? We can replace cast with color and creed and try to look for answers.

We can view the situation under the employer-employee relationship and will be faced with the same dilemma.

We can view this on man to man. There is always an amount of fear, hate or/and guilt. It looks we are in perpetual fear, hate or guilt. We fear the person or group of persons because they may pose a threat to our existence someday. The fear turns into distrust and hate. Punishment follows.

Post punishment, guilt sets in as we realize that maybe our fear or hatred was misplaced. Then again fear sets in with the possibility of revenge. This again turns in hate.

Humanity has evolved but has not been in a position to get rid of fear, hatred, and guilt.


This is not possible as a group. Individuals only can achieve freedom from fear, hate, and guilt. The easiest way is to see yourself in others. This helps in bridging the gaps in the perceived notion of inequality.