On the Purpose of Hating

‘I like solitude, when I give myself up to it, for the sake of solitude.‘ A deeply insightful take on how hate and insecurity can be intertwined, and an endearing love letter to the natural world, ‘On the Purpose of Hating‘ is one of the most renowned essays from the brilliant mind of William Hazlitt. In ‘On the Purpose of Hating‘, Hazlitt explores the complexities of hatred. He compellingly argues that hatred can have a self-destructive edge, and can do just as much harm to the person who harbours it as the subject of it. At its heart, hatred is merely a coping mechanism to manage our own shortcomings. William Hazlitt (1778 – 1830) was an English essayist, social commentator and literary critic. Largely considered one of the best essayists of his time, and having befriended other literary giants such as Samuel Taylor Coleridge, John Keats and Charles Lamb, Hazlitt was a prolific writer, penning articles and periodicals until his death.