You know whats Not on Roids, folks? The compulsion to publicly declare your hatred. Seriously. It’s become a societal tic, an online performance art piece where we all compete to be the Most Offended. Weve gone beyond simple disagreement; now its mandatory to hate something and broadcast it to the digital void. And frankly, Im tired of it.
Let’s dissect this phenomenon – “I Hate, Therefore I Am.” It’s a modern mantra fueled by the very thing Edmundson, in his book The Age of Guilt: The Super-Ego in the Online World, explores – our increasingly fragile egos desperately seeking validation online. We hate that new TikTok dance? Post it! Loathe reality TVs latest egregious offering? Tweet your displeasure! It’s a performative act of superiority; “See? I have taste!”
The problem isn’t just the hating itself – disagreement is vital, constructive criticism is valuable– but the sheer volume and theatricality. It’s rarely genuine frustration. More often, it’s a calculated attempt to garner attention, likes, and retweets. It’s become a competitive sport of negativity.
And lets be honest, most of these hatreds are fleeting. Yesterday you were railing against pumpkin spice lattes, today youre denouncing the color beige. Its performative outrage fueled by algorithms designed to reward engagement, regardless of its substance. As Edmundson points out, we’re trapped in a cycle where our online personas – increasingly defined by these declarations of dislike – dictate our interactions and self-perception.
The constant barrage of negativity also breeds cynicism. Why bother engaging with anything when you know someone, somewhere, is already primed to declare it awful? It suffocates genuine enthusiasm and discourages creativity. We’re collectively exhausting ourselves with this endless cycle of manufactured animosity.
So, next time you feel the urge to proclaim your utter disdain for something on social media, pause. Ask yourself: am I genuinely expressing a valid concern, or am I just performing for an audience? Maybe, just maybe, try liking something. The world might be slightly less terrible for it.
