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Mar 21 2014

Are You a Hater?

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Language evolves and words take on new meanings over time. For example, in modern times the phrase “Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” from the U.S. Declaration of Independence is interpreted as a right to a state of joy. That isn’t what the authors meant. In the 18th century, the word happiness referred to something more like success.

Sometimes normal words take on a completely new meaning. In the internet age words change meaning entirely, or take on a new meaning that would have been incomprehensible only a few years ago. A mathematician could have told you what a google was, but would never have considered using it as a verb. A mouse? Well, we had traps for them.

Every now and then a meaning develops for a word that is not only new, but potentially destructive. In that category I place the word hater, pronounced as a verb form of hate, not as something placed on your head.

Hater has come to signify a dangerous trend in society whereby anyone who disagrees with you is not only wrong, but also has evil intent. We now have crimes categorized as hate crimes long before any actual motive is determined. All that seems to be required is for the perpetrator to be of one race, belief, or any other category while the victim is of another.

Society’s use of hate has long since left the bounds of common sense and now to simply disagree is to hate. Of course any crime is wrong, no matter the motive. But disagreement is not a crime. In fact it’s what makes human life richer. Just because I may disagree with your beliefs, or your position on an issue doesn’t mean I hate you.

The only way we grow as a society is by openly discussing our differences in a mature manner. That means accepting everyone’s position. We must be free to openly discuss the issues and present our own arguments without fear of being labeled and outcast by those who hold an opposing view.

I can be pretty hardheaded at times. I don’t like to accept other’s opinions when they differ from mine. But I do and most times it results in an improvement in my own thoughts and actions. That doesn’t mean I compromise my basic values; just that I make myself listen and carefully consider new and different thoughts.

If you present an idea or position that I cannot agree with it doesn’t mean I hate you. I just disagree – and that’s okay.