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The angry man wishes the object of his anger to suffer in return; hatred wishes its object not to exist.
Aristotle
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Anger seeks retribution while hatred desires the complete destruction of its target.

In this quote, Aristotle distinguishes between anger and hatred, suggesting that while anger is often a desire for the person who has wronged us to face consequences for their actions, hatred goes further by wishing that the person simply does not exist. This highlights the deeper, more destructive nature of hatred compared to the more immediate and perhaps more understandable response of anger.

Themes

AngerHatredPhilosophyEmotionHuman Nature

In practice

Example use cases

In a discussion about the effects of negative emotions, this quote can illustrate the destructive power of hatred.

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