We ALL Hate It! Completely!

Justin Bieber, Twilight, Nickelback, and Star Wars: Episode III.  These four things are all-in-all quite different from each other in nearly all aspects, but each shares a special place in pop culture that I find particularly annoying.  

Each of the items listed above are things people love to hate.  It's easy to tell these specific things that people attack in mobs simply because it is suddenly "cool" to do.  I take particular irritation at the numerous insults thrown at Star Wars: Episode III.  As a huge Star Wars fan, I enjoy that movie a great deal--even the cheesy dialogue.  I don't know why, but something about those films really gets me.  But the ability of people to criticize every thing imaginable about those movies because "everyone else is doing it" has made me quite hesitant to watch any of the prequels with others and very harsh when I do do so.  The incredible negativity that the crowd mentality can generate is incredible.  

The same thing goes for all the other things on that list.  When was the last time you heard something positive said about Justin Bieber?  Or Twilight?  Especially when you are discussing these things in a group containing more than four people, you will likely hear a large portion (or completely) negative things.  Humorously enough though, if a positive thing is said about these things in a more subversive manner or a more private setting around these same people, they will tend to generate a more positive air about them.  I'd encourage you to experiment with this: you'll likely to find this to be correct.

Now, at this point you might be thinking, "Well this is a surprisingly fickle blog," but rest assured: I have a more significant point to make than my irritation with Revenge of the Sith haters!  Taking this idea that there are things that people love to hate, there are people that we love to hate.  For some, it's those darn Republicans and others it's those Commie Liberals, but chances are, there's someone that those who surround you love to hate.  I know every time I fire up Facebook I am prepared to see another million reasons why Obama is the devil.  The amount of negative I see pointed towards Obama often makes me want to join the other crowd that claims him as a saint (but not really though).  We get so absorbed in the desire to gain acceptance into "the crowd" that we spit out the stupidest things.  Especially in the attacks directed towards Obama, they sometimes find themselves so far off the mark I often wonder if there is some other man named Obama who happens to be the President of the United States.  Please, do no abandon reason to popularity.

Even worse is the times I find myself party to loving to hate those that are around me.  We all have those in our lives that are particularly unsavory characters; those who often find themselves subject to the grotesque brew that is gossip.  It is very easy to join in on the bashing of these individuals when they sit innocently miles away from the place of conversation.  I don't care if they "deserve it," there is a reason gossip is looked down upon.  It is never positive.  Next time you find someone being unknowingly sacrificed for the entertainment of the group, try saying positive things about them, just see how people respond.

So I leave you all with a bit of junior-high advice: Just because everyone else is doing it does not make it right or acceptable.