Haters

One of the things I've noticed growing up is that every few years a new slang word pops up, or becomes overused. Think of words like "radical," "bitchin'," "hip," "jive" or "the bomb." Most of the time these words are used in the proper context (except maybe "bitchin'" or "the bomb). And sometimes these words become overused and are used in any context, despite the possibility that it is being used improperly. This brings me to what I want to write about today - the word "hater."

Now, I used "hater" a lot when I was younger. I don't think it was used much in high school, but I used it a lot during my college years. I especially remember the word popping up a lot when me and my buddies would sit around arguing about who was better Magic or Michael Jordan.

"Man, Jordan wasn't the team player that Magic was," a buddy would say.

"Dude, stop being such a hater - he's the best EVER," I'd respond.

See and that's the way the word should be used. That's not just according to me either. It's according to the source for all things slang, UrbanDictionary.com. A "Hater" is "A person that simply cannot be happy for another person's success. So rather than be happy they make a point of exposing a flaw in that person."

That's what the word means and that's how it should be used and that's how we used to use it. But for some reason, this current generation of young people has turned "hater" into a label for every person who shows the slightest disagreement with that person's actions or thoughts.

Example:
Person 1: "Man, why don't you talk to Pablo anymore."
Person 2: "Cuz he's a hater."
Person 1: "What did he do?"
Person 2: "He said that I shouldn't have stole his homework and turned it in with my name on it."
Person 1: "What a hater."
Person 2: "Man, haters suck."

See, that's what I'm talking about. "Hater has become sorely misused. Even more troubling is in the way that's it's been abused. And the way it's been abused is very symbolic of the lack of responsibility that young people seem to take these days. A little confused? Let me explain.

We are in trouble of becoming a society ruled by a "dictatorship of relativism," as Pope Benedict XVI said before he was installed as the pontiff. Let me explain relativism as simply as possible (for me anyway). It is the idea that there are no absolute truths. What is good for me, might be good for you. Who am I to say that what you are doing is wrong? It might not be good for me, but for you it might be just fine... That way of thinking takes ALL responsibility away from each and every person.

Think about this a second: "No absolute truths." See how that idea messes things up. This makes it possible for a person NEVER to be wrong. The pope said that this idea of relativism "recognizes nothing definite and leaves only one's own ego and one's own desires as the final measure."

That's my suggestion. People really need to learn to check their egos and desires and to really become humble. A critical person is not a "hater." If a person is critical, they do so because they care. I have nothing poetic to say to keep this long blog going, so I'll just stop... peace