# Is it possible to cure hatred? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 22, 2007, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-cure-hatred/388985 "2007-01-22T18:05:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sigerx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47774/32.png) [@sigerx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sigerx)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2007, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-cure-hatred/388985/1 "2007-01-22T18:05:07Z")
?? ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2007, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-cure-hatred/388985/2 "2007-01-22T18:23:24Z")
Hatred isn’t a wrong thing to feel. There are many good reasons to hate someone. They killed your cat. They beat you up. It may fade over time, but it is a valid emotion, not a sickness. ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2007, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-cure-hatred/388985/3 "2007-01-22T18:24:19Z")
[QUOTE=sigerx] ?? [/QUOTE] Hatred of what? Brussels Sprouts? I don’t think you could possibly cure me of my hatred of Brussels Sprouts. ---
**Author:** ![According\_to\_Pliny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@According\_to\_Pliny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/According_to_Pliny)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2007, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-cure-hatred/388985/4 "2007-01-22T18:27:23Z")
I think they did it several times. In The Time Machine the Morlocks bred the Eloi people to be cow-like and placid (perhaps they also doctored the food?) In Logan’s Run and a lot of other SciFi books it was tranquilizer drugs. ---
**Author:** ![sigerx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47774/32.png) [@sigerx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sigerx)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2007, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-cure-hatred/388985/5 "2007-01-22T18:30:11Z")
Sorry for not being more clear. What I’m talking about is an intense hatred for all of mankind and society with the result of constantly fantasizing about mass murder, torture and rape. ---
**Author:** ![groman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@groman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/groman)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2007, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-cure-hatred/388985/6 "2007-01-22T19:00:28Z")
[QUOTE=sigerx] What I’m talking about is an intense hatred for all of mankind and society with the result of constantly fantasizing about mass murder, torture and rape. [/QUOTE] Which is a valid view point if it can be supported by logical argument. I fail to see how that is in itself a condition that needs curing. I mean the person might be able to alleviate internal conflict of it somewhat by carrying out the mass murder, torture and rape, but I really don’t think there’s anything to cure. Now, if you just hate everybody and are unable(note, different from unwilling) to justify it even to yourself in a coherent set of statements – might be a symptom of depression, bipolar disorder or even shizophrenia. All of those are treatable to a certain degree, but not really curable. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2007, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-cure-hatred/388985/7 "2007-01-22T19:08:59Z")
[QUOTE=sigerx] Sorry for not being more clear. What I’m talking about is an intense hatred for all of mankind and society with the result of constantly fantasizing about mass murder, torture and rape. [/QUOTE] **Sigerx** , if you’re suffering from these sorts of fantasies, you should probably give some serious thought to seeing a psychiatrist. I mean no insult by this - but this sort of thing can be a sign of serious problems. If you had a cough that just wouldn’t go away, you’d get your lungs checked. If you’ve got strange and troubling thoughts that just won’t go away, you might want to get your head checked. ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2007, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-cure-hatred/388985/8 "2007-01-22T19:23:48Z")
A frontal lobotomy will do it. Who was the doctor who stopped a charging bull on stage? ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-cure-hatred/388985/9 "2007-01-23T20:59:18Z")
It depends on the cause. If it’s some sort of physical problem like a chemical imbalance or a tumor or genetic anomaly, then the original cause might be cured / fixed / or managed by medical care depending on the severity. If it’s some sort of psychological problem brought on by emotional trauma then therapy or other techniques including meditation may help. If it’s just regular generic hatred then any of the above techniques could work as well as simple mental tricks. And various chemicals coudl temporarily affect it. The recreational drug ecstacy for example has been shown to temporarily oriented users towards communication and social bonding behaviors. If you mean more anger than hatred, then of course anger management techniques can help. ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-cure-hatred/388985/10 "2007-01-23T21:03:39Z")
[QUOTE=Shalmanese] A frontal lobotomy will do it. Who was the doctor who stopped a charging bull on stage? [/QUOTE] Turns out it was [Jose Delgado](http://www.wireheading.com/jose-delgado.html) > [@](#): > > Dr Delgado had great faith in his technology. In one famous experiment conducted in Spain, Dr Delgado confronted a charging 1,000-pound bull. As the horned animal lunged towards him aggressively, Dr Delgado used a radio signal to activate an electrode implanted deep in the bull’s brain. The bull was brought to a halt at Delgado’s feet.