Oct 8, 2006 7:33:10 AM cite

The true answer, however, is this: by acknoledging an individual's greater good, whether he or she can see it or not, may potentially resonate with that person in a a manner that will resonate with, to some degree, their higher self. I know this from feeling angry at others. Take traffic for example. Someone cuts you off, and you become angry. Often one simple smile, one gesture, one apology one call to fogiveness is enough to eradicate violence, anger or hatred. Introducing the human element counteracts violence, anger and hatred. We see humanity in the expression of others fault, of imperfection. Acceptance of these imperfections provides acceptance of the faults of within ourselves. Striving to address the greater good wihin others addresses our own greater good. Rememeber, one smile, one apology, one listening, one aknowledgement, one acceptance is enuogh to dispel anger.

by brotherjake

Sep 30, 2006 8:50:14 PM cite

If you need a prove how counteracting or fighting against violence, anger or hatred reinforces what you battle you have just to have a look at Afghanistan. The opium production has increased last year for more than 50%, although everybody - USA, Europe, Government of Afghanistan, swear that they do everything to abolish the production of opium. But of course, if you put all your energy into something - and it doesn't matter if you long for it or if you fight it - il will grow and grow and grow....So it is extremely counter-productive to counterACT or fight. The appropriate approach to stop unwanted experiences is to re-orientate the stream of consciousness and to focuse on desired things. However, I ask myself, who has an interest to continue this war - Drugproduction, Drugcombat and even more Terror, Antiterror? Why not abolish all laws against drugs? This will stop crime-rate and there will be not more drug-victims, because actually the dealers make all effort to get as much clients as possible. So - don't fight, FEEL GOOD!

by mbl

Sep 18, 2006 8:09:41 PM cite

To me balance is need in all things. You can't know love without knowing hate. You can't know good without knowing evil. You know, yin and yang. The opposite of hate is needed to defeat hate, love ; violence, compasion and so on.

by rufus11_33@hotmail.com

Sep 18, 2006 8:19:13 AM cite

the only way is to stop what starts hatred and teach how to overcome

by thezeloniaprojectcompanyinc

Sep 15, 2006 2:48:05 AM cite

what a great question...and i've been wondering the same thing lately............... There has to be a way for us humans to interact from a space of interconnectedness...connection...I think it is possible...............I think we have to re-learn and for most of us....learn for the first time, how to communicate in a different way.... COMMUN---I----CATION.............getting intouch and really connecting empathically to everyone...even those who are angry/violent, etc.... so, I've been reading Marshall Rosenberg.....an author on non-violent communication and conflict resolution..........it is absolutely amazing....since I myself am re-learning how to communicate in a more loving, peaceful way............this guy wants to have a meeting with Bush and i'd support it... Anyway, i highly recommend his books, and he describes ways to counteract people, groups, etc. coming at us from a place of anger............. The book includes examples of dialogue between him and different individuals and groups around the world.............people change the ways they communicate... Simply by getting in touch with our feelings and needs is the beginning........................and to see through someone else's words to find out what needs of their's are not being met............ We are not taught to "feel", ....................this is why we are at war................, well one of the reasons....if you'd like to talk more about this please,,,,i'm open to it......... Lacie

by misslace

Sep 14, 2006 3:19:09 AM cite

There is a fantastic treatise which goes something like this: As long as people are talking, they are not fighting, yelling is OK but they are not fighting. As long as people are not fighting, they are not killing. So talk to your neighbors, the postman, the Cop on the corner, the world. That is not to say that while all the talking is going on there will be no fighting, no killing. Just less! People, We, need to put aside our agendas, our prejudices, out a curb around our egos and start talking

by RedSevenOne

Sep 13, 2006 3:06:09 AM cite

The only way I know how to counteract violence, anger, hatred is to become as invisible and non-threatening as possible. That's what I did when a steroid-pumped and intoxicated monster got angry at me for no reason while waiting for the L train in Manhattan some time back. This guy was so big and strong, he literally could have lifted me up over his head and thrown me to my death on the tracks below. I shrunk, I spoke calmly, I apologized (for nothing, mind you). He continued to threaten me and I truly feared for my life but I gave him no reason to act violently towards me, so much so that I think that made him a little bit angry. He took the cap off my head (a beautifully hand-decorated one from Thailand) and threw it on the tracks. He kicked my bags of groceries around. But he didn't touch me. Somehow I was able to diffuse his violent and debilitate it by becoming a completely non-threatening and non-violent presence, one that was soothing and calm, in spite of my own fear. What would have happened in Afghanistan and Iraq if the US had dropped food and medicine instead of bombs? Might we have earned the cooperation of locals who could have helped flush out those responsible for 9/11 instead of hated us by further destroying their countries, taking lives, and exacerbating civil unrest (to say nothing about public opinion in the rest of the world)?

by artexetra

Sep 9, 2006 5:49:41 PM cite

There is a reason for the violence, anger, and or hatred. If by counteract you mean that you wish to help stop the violence, anger, or hatred, then you you have to figure out the reason for which it all began. As a people and as a race (human) one thing we do little to understand is the reason for which things occur. Why things are the way that they are. There is ususually a history that we often neglect. Obviously if you can find the root of the problems which cause and lead to the violence, anger, or hatred, then there, at the root, you may find a way for the violence, anger and hatred to cease. Finding the reason, and knowing and understanding the history of the situation is you counteraction.

by U810190

Sep 9, 2006 4:17:09 PM cite

sublinieal messages over tv& radios. yOU KNOW SUPPER IMPOSED MESSAGES .

by pb902bxp

Sep 9, 2006 3:39:34 PM cite

Counteract means per se doing the opposite.

by AvB

Sep 9, 2006 12:55:00 PM cite

Abbas Beydoun: I do not know, because I think that these issues can not be achieved easily by just volition. I guess this question is simplified and it is rather good intention than being question.

by Abbas Beydoun

Sep 9, 2006 12:55:00 PM cite

Alvaro Restrepo: Easy question, easy answer: Obviously nowadays the word love has become a kind of outworn and devaluated term, and this may seem anachronic. But I think that, maybe because of my role as an educator, I grant a huge importance to love in educational processes. If we do not start from the very beginning to educate our children with love, we will never succeed in getting rid of violence, anger and hatred. So these three words are reactions – reactions, as the human being is a reactive being that reflects what it experiences. And if it has even been educated with violence, anger and hatred, it will give back the same violence, anger and hatred. It is always said that the one who commits a delinquency has at some time been misused and this turns out to be a vicious circle.

by Alvaro Restrepo

Sep 9, 2006 12:55:00 PM cite

Ana Lucy Bengochea:

by Ana Lucy Bengochea

Sep 9, 2006 12:55:00 PM cite

Angaangaq Lyberth: I’m so glad you asked that question, whoever you are. Have you ever heard about something called love and compassion, equality and trust, recognition and acceptance of one another? When I think of it, how we can contrast the violence, anger and hatred, I think of those because those are the ones which will allow you to be recognized, accepted, recognized, loved, respected in each circle no matter where you are. That is how I feel that we can contrast it. There’s enough violence as it is. There’s enough anger as it is. There is enough hatred as it is. Without them the spirit of the world can be so beautiful. God, I have traveled around the world now so many times and realize how beautiful it can be if only we could realize that the beauty is worth having not looking through the lens of the violence, anger and hatred. Did I make sense to you? I sure hope so. Next time you ask the same question I would put you responsible to help the world ridding of itself of hatred, violence and anger. Thank you.

by Angaangaq Lyberth

Sep 9, 2006 12:55:00 PM cite

Anthony Arnove: I think the question is potentially quite abstract because the question is do we root anger, do we root hatred and violence in individual attitudes or do we see them as having social roots. I think the reality is that they have social roots. These emotions, these conflicts have origins in history, have origins in people’s social and material circumstances. There is nothing innate in human nature that leads to anger, that leads to hatred, that leads to violence. We are not inherently xenophobic, we are not inherently antagonistic towards one another people. Whether or not, we have those beliefs, whether or not we have those attitudes, depends on our social circumstances. And what history shows is that we can change social circumstances and reduce violence, reduce hatred. But, also it shows something really important, which is that in struggling to change history, in struggling to change our material circumstances, in struggling for example basic economic transformation to meet basic human needs, people change themselves, change their attitudes, find their circumstances changing even in that process of social change. So, for example, you see how workers in the United States in the history fighting for basic and economic rights. They have come to understand that racism, that sexism, that homophobia, that nationalism divide and weaken their movements. And therefore, you can have a process of consciousness raising among people who formally may have had racist or sexist ideas, have had xenophobic ideas come to challenge, come to question those beliefs. And so, really, the first step is in changing these is to set about the process of collectively organizing to try.

by Anthony Arnove

Sep 9, 2006 12:55:00 PM cite

Anuradha Koirala: You can counteract violence by wanting to provide peace and love natured by faith.

by Anuradha Koirala

Sep 9, 2006 12:55:00 PM cite

Anuradha Mittal: Well, when I think about how to counter violence, anger, or hatred, I think the only way that I can do it is through passivism, love, and forgiveness. That’s the only way that one can actually challenge violence, anger, or hatred. Again, it is passivism, love, and forgiveness.

by Anuradha Mittal