Sorry if I came across as criticizing a weak version of the rule. But I have had trouble trying to think of what a strong version might look like: "In most cases, if you don't like someone, then it just means you don't know them well enough" ? The assumption here seems to be that if you get to know someone well, then you will come to like them most of the time? I get that people are complicated but I don't think coming to understand a person more fully will necessarily lead to liking them more - but I suppose this depends on what type of person you are - someone who generally doesn't like people, or someone who is very picky etc, likely will not ever come to like most people even if they gain full knowledge of them, which makes the rule even more subjective.
On the other hand, some may argue that not liking someone means that you ought to study them more, which makes sense in the general sense of "you ought to know your enemy", but this seems incongruent with the original context of the quote.
I suppose I did oversimplify the rule in order to make it easier to apply, which reduces it to absurdity. But trying to find a way to make the rule work is also making my head hurt.
In any case I hereby apologize if I have broken any rules.
No worries! If you had added a version of this current comment to the original one, i.e. if you had spelled out your underlying thinking more, it would have been fine. The issue from a moderation point of view is the reductionist/snarkyy/inflammatory style. It's not what we're going for, and it evokes worse from others.
p.s. Btw, I don't think the "I must get to know him better" line is intended as a rule (maybe the word 'must' is a bit misleading in there). It's more an expression of an attitude that one can choose to take or not. To quote that line is to say "this is how I want to be".
I get this is sarcastic but getting to know people like that is literally how the field of criminal psychology was born and helped stop many people like Bundy.
One of the most important things, in my experience, when in an adversarial relationship, is to understand, and, quite often, to respect my opponent. I need to understand why they are doing what they do, so I can make plans to counter them. Often, I can find ways to defuse the conflict, by negotiating compromises.
A pithy way to put it, is if you want to understand rats, talk to an exterminator.
Using one of the most of extreme of examples to discredit an argument that is meant to bring unity, makes me not like you, and not wanting to know you better ;)_
https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html