Hatred is like a long, dark shadow. Not even the person it falls upon knows where it comes from, in most cases. It is like a two-edged sword. When you cut the other person, you cut yourself. The more violently you hack at the other person, the more violently you hack at yourself. It can often be fatal. But it is not easy to dispose of. It is very dangerous. Once it has taken root in your heart, hatred is the most difficult thing in the world to shake off.
-- Haruki Murakami, in The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle
