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Which is more powerful, love or hate?

 

Plato and Socrates discuss Love and Hate

And once again Socrates and his good friend Plato are at it again. They are having
a wonderful time discussing dozens of topics, but have now come to the question of "Which is more Powerful, Love or Hate?"

-So Plato, what is Power exactly?
-To have Power, a being has to have the ability to produce an effect. Power can also be used through control, although not necessarily.
-So what does this tell us about what we're trying to find?
-It tells us we're trying to find whether Love or Hate produce a greater effect.
-So let us begin, shall we?
-Certainly Socrates.
-Tell me Plato, if Love is the more Powerful of the two, why would it be?
-If Love were more powerful than Hate, it would be more powerful because Love brings Happiness and joy to people, giving them a reason and will to have an effect on our society, freely without will.
-And if Hate were more powerful then why would it, Plato?
-If Hate were more Powerful it would be because Hate can be used to control and force people to produce an effect to whatever the controller wants, but through force not will.
-And what does Hate cause to whomever it is directed to?
-With Hate comes despair, disappointment, sorrow, doubt.
-So since Hate brings all these negative emotions on a being, Love must be the compeller of Hate.
-Exactly Socrates, some compelling emotions of Love being Happiness and joy.
-So how does this all help you find the answer to our original question, Plato?
-This helps me answer the question of whether Love or Hate is more Powerful, because it gives me a proper justification.
-And what is this justification, Plato?
-My justification is that since we humans prefer not to do something out of force, but instead out of will, Love is more powerful, because what the end result of Love brings to us, Socrates, makes us willing to do something for an effect, as opposed to Hate causing us to do something for an effect out of force, unwillingly.
-So what you are saying is that for someone to have a better effect on society from his actions, it has to be done out of will and not force?
-Yes Socrates.
-And from what you are saying, Love is more Powerful than Hate because it makes us act for effect through will instead of force, then why would someone who is willing to do something have a better effect than someone who isn't willing?
-Because when you will something done you want to have whatever that thing is done. But when you do not, you have no reason to want for something to be done, ending in a weaker final effort than a stronger willed effort.
-It all makes great sense to me now Plato.
-It was my pleasure to explain it to you Socrates.
-We will continue another day, Plato, good bye for now.
-So long Socrates.

 



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