Don't Be a Hater

It may actually turn out that I'm a hypocrite, but let's wait and see until we get to the end.

I think I've reached the limit of my tolerance for the popular pastime of bashing anyone or anything that you don't like. You know, like making facebook groups against some pop icon, or filling message boards with all the reasons something is SO stupid, Or writing long blog posts about why anyone who would like or support such and such or so and so clearly isn't playing with a full deck.

Of course I don't expect all people to like and love the same things, but for pete's sake, why does not liking something give you the right to go on and on about how horrible it is and to bash the people who do like it? Why do you celebrate the negative? Don't you have things that you love that you could celebrate instead? Or do you just love hating?

I once referenced a popular TV show in conversation and the reply was, "We don't watch that show," in that judgey tone you use to say "Don't you wash your hands when you use the bathroom?" Jeesh. I don't even particularly like the show and I was offended.

I realize that I'm being a little vague here about what sort of bashing is driving me crazy, but that's because I don't want this to turn into a defense of something I like but other people like to bash. That's not my point.

What's my point? Well, I guess it's that not much looks exactly the same to everyone; after all, we're all standing in different places and so we have different views. Maybe we could accept that whatever it is that we don't like has some value to a person standing in a different place. There's no need to pass judgment on the person who likes the thing that you think is stupid, or over rated, or whatever. Lighten up! Enjoy the things you enjoy and let other people enjoy the things that they enjoy.

So am I a hypocrite? Am I a hater of haters? I'm trying really hard not to be. I'm just offering something to think about. Really. I won't judge you if you want to go on bashing, but I'm not saying I'll listen to you though either.

And after all that, I should probably make one confession. If I'm going to really not be a hypocrite, I may have to stop making fun of Russ and Jeff for watching the UFC all the time!