I don't read or listen to a lot of non-fiction, but when I heard Sally Kohn's interview on NPR's Studio 1A, I knew I needed to read her book The Opposite of Hate. I'm really torn on whether or not listening to this book was a good idea. On the one hand, it is read by the author and in such a way that it feels almost narrative rather than informative, which I loved. On the other hand, audiobooks are awfully difficult to highlight. There were so many times I wanted to underline something she said or take note of a point she made, but I obviously wasn't able to do that. I did stop a few times to write down a quote or two, but that isn't always convenient.
Solution? Well, I'm just going to have to purchase my own hard copy. And I think you should, too.
The Opposite of Hate is one of the books that I really think should be required reading. For everyone. We all live in the world and we all know there is far too much hate out there. Maybe you think you don't hate. And maybe you don't, but Kohn believes we all possess some form of implicit bias, including herself. I was impressed with how courageously brave she was in citing specific examples where she has discovered her own bias and she encourages us to look for it within ourselves. Bias can lead to hate and it is more important now than ever that we find ways to connect as human beings rather than focus on what divides us.
I really loved this book and I know I will read it again. And I will share it with my children when they get just a little older. If we really want to make the world a better place, we have to find a way to get along better. That doesn't mean changing what we believe or all becoming the same thing, but it does mean making an effort to understand one another regardless of our differences. Please read this book and I'd love to hear what you think.
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