(a) “Hatred is destructive of a person’s wisdom and conscience that can poison a nation’s spirit.” Do you agree with this view? Justify your answer. (b) What are the main components of emotional intelligence (EI)? Can they be learned? Discuss.

(a) Hatred, wisdom and a nation's spirit

I agree with the view. Hatred narrows perception, silences conscience and replaces reasoned judgement with prejudice. Buddha taught that "hatred is never appeased by hatred"; when it hardens into collective identity it poisons a nation, as Partition violence, the Holocaust and the Rwandan genocide show. Conversely, Gandhi's ahimsa and Mandela's reconciliation demonstrate that overcoming hatred restores both individual wisdom and national cohesion. Hatred is therefore self-destructive before it destroys others.

(b) Components of emotional intelligence and whether they can be learned

Daniel Goleman identifies five components:

• Self-awareness — recognising one's own emotions and their effects.
• Self-regulation — managing disruptive impulses and moods.
• Motivation — an inner drive to achieve beyond money or status.
• Empathy — sensing and considering others' feelings.
• Social skills — managing relationships and building networks.

These can certainly be learned. Unlike IQ, EI is developed through reflection, feedback, mentoring, mindfulness and deliberate practice. Civil servants trained in empathy and stress management handle field pressures far better, proving EI is a cultivable, not fixed, trait.

Conclusion

Freeing conscience from hatred and consciously building emotional intelligence are two sides of the same ethical maturity that public life demands.