When Hatred Unites: The Cost of Joining Hands for the Wrong Reasons

Not everyone who smiles at you is your well-wisher. And not everyone who stands together stands for the right reason.

I’ve always believed that “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” is a cheap mindset. It’s not strength—it’s insecurity wrapped in revenge. It’s shallow. It’s weak. And more often than not, it says more about you than the person you're standing against.

Throughout my 16+ years of professional life, I’ve built my identity on skills, hard work, and loyalty. I’ve climbed, grown, learned, led. I’ve made mistakes too—but I’ve owned them. That’s what maturity means to me.

Years ago, I faced this bitter truth. A group of people I once worked with, who didn’t align with my mindset, slowly showed their true colors. When I questioned their intentions, or simply walked away, they joined hands—not out of respect for one another—but out of mutual dislike for me.

They attacked—not with fists, but with manipulation and a complaint meant to break me.

They tried to corner me. Push me out. Even file a complaint that could’ve cost me my job. But truth doesn’t bend to group politics. Thankfully, the management saw through it. They knew my worth, my consistency, and my performance.

Sure, I could’ve reacted. I could’ve taken revenge with counter complaints—I had numbers, proof, performance. But I chose growth over grudges. Because I knew, one day, these people would break apart. That’s not friendship. That’s survival through bitterness. One by one, I watched them split, fade, disappear into their own quiet messes.

After all, their bond was built not on connection—but on common dislike.

Today, I stand with people who chose me for who I am, not because of who we both dislike. And that’s real. That’s lasting.

And to anyone out there who feels cornered, misunderstood, or wrongly accused:

Stay calm. Stay real. Let your truth speak. Because those who attack with numbers, always fall without them.

"Hate may gather a crowd, but only truth builds a circle that lasts."

🔗 Follow my journey on Medium: medium.com/@estherm1988