--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you start by hating one or two people…" description: "\"If you start by hating one or two people, you won't be able to stop. Pretty soon you'll hate a hundred people.\" \"A zillion?\" \"Even a zillion. A little ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/jerry-spinelli-1413_able_if-you-start-by-hating-one-or-two-people_2073288.png" --- # If you start by hating one or two people, you won't be… ![“If you start by hating one or two people, you won't be able to stop. Pretty soon you'll hate a hundred people." "A zillion?" "Even a zillion. A little hatred goes a long, long way. It grows and grows. And it's hungry." "Like Cimmamum?" "Even hungrier. You keep feeding it more and more people, and…” quote by Jerry Spinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/jerry-spinelli-1413_able_if-you-start-by-hating-one-or-two-people_2073288.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/jerry-spinelli-1413_able_if-you-start-by-hating-one-or-two-people_2073288.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/jerry-spinelli-1413_able_if-you-start-by-hating-one-or-two-people_2073288.png) > “If you start by hating one or two people, you won't be able to stop. Pretty soon you'll hate a hundred people." "A zillion?" "Even a zillion. A little hatred goes a long, long way. It grows and grows. And it's hungry." "Like Cimmamum?" "Even hungrier. You keep feeding it more and more people, and the more it gets, the more it wants. It's never satisfied. And pretty soon it squeezes all the love out of your heart"--I pointed to her heart; she looked down at her chest--"and all you'll have left is a hateful heart.” [Jerry Spinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-spinelli/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Hatred expands like a voracious fire, consuming love and humanity as it spreads from person to person. **In simple terms:** Hatred spreads and destroys love. Key Takeaway Avoid feeding hatred; cultivate compassion. Themes hatred compassion humanity emotional health psychology Mood sad reflective cautionary Type warning philosophical emotional When to use this quote - personal relationships - social media - political discourse - conflict resolution Key Concepts addiction emotional contagion self‑fulfilling prophecy Questions to Reflect On - What triggers your resentment? - How can you interrupt the cycle of hatred? A Different Perspective Hatred can be mitigated by intentional empathy and community support. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) [Feeding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feeding/) [Grows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grows/) [Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/) [Hateful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hateful/) [Hating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hating/) [Hating People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hating-people/) [Hatred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hatred/) [Hatred Goes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hatred-goes-4012969/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Hundred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hundred/) [Hungry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hungry/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-long/) [Long way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-way/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Satisfied](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/satisfied/) [Start Hating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/start-hating-369988/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [“A little hatred goes a long, long way. 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