You know whats Not on Roids, apparently? People’s inexplicable hatred of other people. Seriously! I just read a piece in “The Conversation” (because, you know, existential dread needs a scholarly source) and it turns out this whole human-disliking thing is…complicated. Like, eye-rollingly complicated.
Apparently, its not just about that one guy who cuts you off in traffic (though, let’s be honest, he is the worst). Its a cocktail of stuff! Evolutionary psychology suggests we instinctively distrust those outside our “tribe.” Because survival, people! Lions are scary; unfamiliar faces are potentially lions. Classic.
Then there’s moral outrage. Someone does something appalling? You hate them. Perfectly reasonable. But then it bleeds into general dislike – a sort of preemptive judgment based on perceived societal failings. Theyre eating avocado toast! HATE THEM! (Okay, maybe not hate, but intense disapproval.)
The article also mentions “identity fusion” – how we project our insecurities onto others to feel better about ourselves. So basically, if you’re feeling inadequate, hating someone else makes you feel momentarily superior? Charming.
And the kicker? Social media amplifies it all! We get a constant stream of reasons to dislike people, curated for maximum outrage. Its exhausting being so angry all the time, isnt it? Maybe we should all just agree to like puppies and stop hating each other. Or at least invest in some really good noise-canceling headphones.
