Why We Hate

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 352 pages
• Published by: McGraw-Hill
• Edition: 1st Edition June 27, 2003
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0809224798
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0809224791
• Book Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Weighs: 1.1 pounds

From Publishers Weekly
Combining anthropology, zoology and neuroscience, Why We Hate: Understanding, Curbing, and Eliminating Hate in Ourselves and Our World attempts to explain the scientific underpinnings of the emotion that leads to prejudice, violence and genocide. The far-ranging if sometimes digressive book by journalist and science writer Rush Dozier Jr. (Fear Itself) uses plenty of present-day examples of racial, religious and political conflicts the Russians' war in Chechnya, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the Oklahoma City bombing as a launching point for his explanations of how the primitive reptilian brain and the fight-or-flight response lie at the root of our cultural prejudices.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description


"In the post-9/11 struggle for a sane global vision, this antihatred manifesto could not be more timely."--O: The Oprah Magazine

In this acclaimed volume, Pulitzer-Prize nominated science writer Rush W. Dozier Jr. demystifies our deadliest emotion--hate.

Based on the most recent scientific research in a range of fields, from anthropology to zoology, Why We Hate explains the origins and manifestations of this toxic emotion and offers realistic but hopeful suggestions for defusing it. The strategies offered here can be used in both everyday life to improve relationships with family and friends as well as globally in our efforts to heal the hatreds that fester within and among nations of the world.

Reader Reviews
Mr. Dozier shows a flair for taking a little science, which is good, and carrying it as far away from America's door steps as he can (which is bad). His recitation of some of the most recent discoveries in neuro-biology are impressive except they lack a mature psychologist perspective and it avoids the best laboratory of all for demonstrating the truth of his theories: the U.S. And here I do not mean just the likes of Timothy McVeigh and other U.S. nut cases. Were Mr. Dozier to have used just a little psychological insight, and even a smattering of political science he would have no doubt noticed that U.S. culture is and always has been a fine laboratory specimen of a culture of hate at work and at play everyday. Here we have as much hate as as any country still in existence. We have racism against blacks that is still disgraceful. We have sexism, homophobia, and anti-semitism, yet Mr. Dozier studiously avoided these in favor of discussing Islamic Jihads, Osama bin Laden and such. This approach is likely to sell books, but how intellectually honest an effort is it, really? We had hate long before Osama and the Jihads, or didn't we? Somehow, Mr. Dozier managed to seek far away examples in the Middle East, and elsewhere rather than right here at home. In skilfully omitting the U.S. among his examples he missed an important opportunity to use his fine research as a vehicle not just to sell books, but also to help heal this nation we all love so dearly. Nevertheless buy the book it is worth reading.