Misanthropy is a hatred or distrust of humanity, often due to disgust with society. It can lead to elitism and difficulty forming relationships. Philosophical pessimism, nihilism, and existentialism share a dark view of humanity but differ in their reasons for it.
The word misanthropy comes from the Greek words meaning “hate” and “man” or “human being.” It is a hatred or contempt for the human species or human nature. It can also refer to a generalized distrust or dislike of people. A person who has these feelings and/or withdraws from society because of them is called a misanthrope. Misanthropy is similar to but distinguishable from concepts such as philosophical pessimism and nihilism.
Misanthropic attitudes can be based on an intense alienation or disgust with human society. A sense of the feelings that breed misanthropy can be found in the definition of a misanthrope’s term. One such voice likens misanthropy to an intelligent person having an “allergic reaction” to a more ordinary, down-to-earth person.
These kinds of ideas can arise out of a genuine revulsion at what human beings have done with the world. By withdrawing from it, misanthropes can actually exercise a form of elitism. They can still form relationships with select individuals, even maintaining a hatred of humans in general. Intimate relationships, however, can be rare and short-lived.
Misanthropy is sometimes wrongly attributed to social satire writers. Misanthropic statements in literature are often simply a literary device. Extreme comedy and satire can make us think about what human nature is really about, as well as examine our own behaviors.
Related to misanthropy is philosophical pessimism which also has a dark view of humanity. However, it is not based on hatred of humanity. It comes from the conclusion that the very nature of being human leaves humanity in a hopeless state, in which there can never be any progress.
The famous German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer declared: “Human existence must be some kind of error.” He likened the human intellect to a lame man that he can see but rides on the shoulders of a blind giant, his will. Reason only makes us suffer, because it makes us understand that it is not up to our will. The human condition is that we will always remain a prisoner of our faulty biology.
Nihilism and existentialism share the conclusion that the human condition has no meaning. There is no evidence of a higher being. There are no actions preferable to others, because there are no “truths” on which to base our actions. The French existentialist writer Jean-Paul Sartre declared that there was no need to speculate about hell since man already lived there.
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