‘It Takes A Lot Of Energy To Hold Hate Inside Of You’

It may seem counter intuitive to respond to hate with kindness. But, as Zak Ebrahim points out, hate takes a lot of energy.

In the TED talk above, Zak Ebrahim, a terrorist’s son, discusses how he chose peace over terrorism. From his story we can all learn a better way to approach prejudice and racism.

He explains how his involvement in the community, interacting with and learning about people who are different than he, was fundamental to developing an open mind. It fostered an understanding that the mindset that was meant to lead him to terrorism was wrong. What ultimately changed his route in life wasn’t how he chose to treat others, but how others chose to treat him. It’s easy to react to prejudicial mindsets with the hate, but Zak is evidence of the power that acceptance and kindness hold in combatting the hatred most of us seek to destroy.

Check out the video above for his whole story.

I Am the Son of a Terrorist. Here’s How I Chose Peace. [TED]