Opposite of Hate A Field Guide to Repairing Our Humanity

We're facing an epidemic of hate. Popular liberal commentator Sally Kohn sets out to discover why we hate and how we can inoculate ourselves. In The Opposite of Hate, Kohn explores the science of hate, investigating why we do it, how we can stop, and how we can help make the world less hateful. She travels to Rwanda, the Middle East, and across the US introducing us to former terrorists, former white supremacists and even some of her own reformed Twitter trolls, drawing surprising lessons from some of the most dramatic examples of leaving hate behind. Her hopeful message: While we all have the potential to hate, and unprecedented forces are spreading the disease, we also all have the capacity to combat it. Kohn offers us the right tools. It turns out that the opposite of hate is not love. It's understanding. Kohn offers us the right tools to understand how hate operates and how it's fostered; how easily we fall into its grip and why. And that will lead us to a better place.

At a moment when we are facing an epidemic of incivility and hate, popular CNN commentator Sally Kohn sets out to discover why we hate and how we can inoculate ourselves.

Divisive political speech, online trolling, and hate crimes are escalating, and in our current political climate so many of us are seething at "the other side." As a progressive commentator on Fox News and now CNN, Sally Kohn has made a career out of bridging intractable political differences and remaining good-natured in the face of intense provocation. But these days even Kohn has found herself wanting to breathe fire at her enemies.

It was time, she decided, to look into the subject. In The Opposite of Hate, Kohn talks to leading scientists and researchers, investigating the evolutionary and cultural roots of hate and how simple incivility might lead to more dangerous acts. She travels to Rwanda, the Middle East, and across the United States, introducing us to former terrorists, former white supremacists, and even some of her own reformed Twitter trolls, drawing surprising lessons from some of the most dramatic examples of leaving hate behind. As Kohn boldly confronts her own shameful moments, whether it's the girl she bullied in school or her own contribution to her daughter's negative attitudes, she points the way toward change.

Her hopeful message: While we all have the potential to hate, we also all have the capacity to combat it. It turns out that the opposite of hate is not love. It's the understanding of how hate operates, how it's fostered, and how easily we fall into its grip. The Opposite of Hate offers the tools to move forward together.

"A stunning debut by a truly gifted writer--an eye-opening read for both liberals and conservatives--and it could not come at a better time."--Adam Grant, New York Times bestselling author of Option B, with Sheryl Sandberg

What is the opposite of hate?

As a progressive commentator on Fox News and now CNN, Sally Kohn has made a career out of bridging intractable political differences and learning how to talk respectfully with people whose views she disagrees with passionately. Her viral TED Talk on the need to practice emotional--rather than political--correctness sparked a new way of considering how often we amplify our differences and diminish our connections.

But these days even famously "nice" Kohn finds herself wanting to breathe fire at her enemies. It was time, she decided, to look into the epidemic of hate all around us and learn how we can stop it. In The Opposite of Hate, Kohn talks to leading scientists and researchers and investigates the evolutionary and cultural roots of hate and how incivility can be a gateway to much worse. She travels to Rwanda, the Middle East, and across the United States, introducing us to former terrorists and white supremacists, and even some of her own Twitter trolls, drawing surprising lessons from dramatic and inspiring stories of those who left hate behind.

As Kohn confronts her own shameful moments, whether it was back when she bullied a classmate or today when she harbors deep partisan resentment, she discovers, "The opposite of hate is the beautiful and powerful reality of how we are all fundamentally linked and equal as human beings. The opposite of hate is connection."

Sally Kohn's engaging, fascinating, and often funny book will open your eyes and your heart.