Children need to know they are loved, no matter what. They need that knowledge immediately and they need it often. And if they don t get it, they are damaged. The work of Gordon Allport confirms that prejudice develops when the needs for love, trust and belonging are not met. Having received little affection, they are not in a position to give it.
Hatred is just one form of intolerance.
In fact, our everyday relations are more commonly handicapped not by hatred but by indifference. Somewhere along the way, we have lost the link that binds us to all people. We are born with a desire for love, but we are not born loving ourselves. We have to learn how to do that if we are to become healthy, caring people. Having grown up without consistent care, interested attention, loving guidance, and regular affirmation, the habitually intolerant are forced to strive for some external affirmation of their worth to establish a secure place in the world.