They say you shouldn't use the word "hate" when referring to anyone at all. It's a strong word. I agree.
Hate basically says you can't forgive someone, because you loathe the very fibers of their being, and there is nothing that can change your mind. In your eyes, there is nothing good about them. I admit I certainly don't hate anyone. "Strongly dislike" comes to mind for a few people, but I couldn't possibly have enough spite toward someone to wish them eternal damnation.
That's basically what you mean when you say you hate them.
But if we're so careful about using the word "hate", why do we toss the word "love" around so much?
"Oooh, I love this top."
"I love my new phone!"
"I love smoothies."
Love is the exact opposite of hate.
Love is the feeling you get in your heart when you can't live without someone, and you want to be around them all the time, and you feel like if anything, you'd spend eternity with them.
Why do we say we "love" a shirt? What about that shirt makes your heart feel warm? Sure, you can like it, you can enjoy wearing it, you can feel good in it...but there's no love to be shared with fabric.
Why do we "love" a phone? Shouldn't we be spending our love on people, not material possessions?
There's enough "I hate this" in this world already. If I'm going to say "I love this", I want to say it about things that deserve love. Like the beauty of creation, a newborn baby, my mother, a person I want to reach out to, et cetera.
Possessions don't deserve my love any more than people deserve my hate.
The next time you say you "love" something, take a moment.
Do you underestimate love?
Recommend
Comments (43)
People do the same thing with "hate" when they're talking about phones and tops and whatnot. Not just love.
Everybody underestimates love.
you evidently don't know where to shop
anyway, I love me.
Love is a more comfortable feeling to have as opposed to hate. To love means, in theory, to gain happiness, so it is not difficult to relate this feeling towards inanimate objects. I think someone who says they love a shirt would probably tell you that no, of course they do not actually have romantic/caring feelings for the shirt. It just brings them joy to be in that shirt's presence. People also say they hate inanimate objects, although based on the true meaning of hate, I think it would be safe to say that they probably don't actually hate a shirt, just as much as they probably don't actually love a shirt.
excellent post. i think this is so true, to so many levels. i saw and recognized how overused the word love was, with shirts or phones or ipods, and even people. And just seeing that made me realize that when i do use the word love, it'll mean something.
My current boyfriend is the first person i've ever said I love you to besides my three best friends and family. other than that, it's not a word I use often.
I just hope the rest of the world realizes this point.
Love for a person and love for an object are two different things.
I love my best friend.
But I also love unicorns.
I say I love materials because saying I like them does not do justice. In that moment, I really fucking love smoothies because it is what I desire and need. The next minute I could hate them because it made me puke.
I THROW THEM ALL AROUND LIGHTLY WHOO HOO!
Psych! I never joke about love.
:]
Because adore too is long
I only hate it when after a few days of dating someone, they're already saying how much they love each other and blah blah blah. That's the only time I hate it when the L word is tossed around.
maybe our definition of love is different. i may be able to love a top... based on my definition. since when was there a definite definition for love? no one can really describe it without feeling like the person you're describing it may not truly understand what you're saying, so hey maybe someone is able to love an object. i mean why not? the more love there is the better life is :)
Other languages have words for that kind of love. Our english does not.
Spanish is just one that does. Check it out, its interesting.there are different definitions of love. different degrees of love.
you are right and i guess, that people shouldn't use the word love, so lightly and about everything. it losing it's value after awhile.
i suppose it only really bothers me when people are relationship junkies and every relationship they are in, "he/she is the one", "the love of my life" and "i love them so much".
sometimes, i don't think people don't actually know what love is, before they start using it.
xo
I think you're making it too complicated. Love and hate are abstract words. I think each person has his or her own definitions regarding these two words. I see those two words as a form of expression. Strongly dislike to me is just a simile of the word hate. There is no difference. When I say i hate someone, it does not mean i want to wish that person eternal damnation. You are probably a religious person right? Also saying I hate someone does not mean i won't forgive them. It just depends on one's character. I try not to read too much into words. I think it's more important to see a person's actions.
i dont think i underestimate love. i dont use that word very often.
because love has lost its meaning. people get very confused. hate is straight forward. love is always questionable.
How about love hating or hate loving? Happens... Btw I love my Blackberry and I am not ashamed to admit it (it loves me back so it's mutual)
Semantics, schemantics.
It's all based in each individual's perception of the world and the significance the words have him/her.
@IwontGoToKansas@xanga - I agree with you 100%.
I don't hate anyone but I do love a lot of people and I would have to agree that I'm more open to loving people because it's a lot more comfortable, and cheerful, than hating someone. I also couldn't hate anyone that I didn't love first because I think in order to hate someone you have to have some strong feelings about them first and actually care about what it is that they do.
well i'm here to be the bane of your blog lol. Love and hate are both unique to the individual we see them differently and i love anything i own that i worked for and does its part to represent me because the things i have aren't possessions they are symbols of the very inner fibers of my being. I like learning about computers and techie stuff i have 2. I love the kingdom hearts series, i want to be a game designer and i share a very deep connection with the idealogies that series portrays. maybe you underestimate people? some not all i mean not everybody puts so much thought into every aspect of their life. But to me hating someone doesn't have to be permanent and to me hate can simply be a strong disagreement with the very existence of someone. Like someone who thrives on happiness love bringing joy to others and being a dreamer, versus someone who is drugged, miserable has no ambitions and only brings pain the very essence of those two people create an inescapable hatred, they are the bane of each others existence. Also the true emotion of love is the most misunderstood thing on the face of the planet. Where as i put love into all the things i've worked for that i allow to define me, i love the things and people in my life equally where's the sense in saying so of others surely you aren't with out blame amongst the people who express "love" for something so materialistic. people love to complain when they see somebody else doing something wrong but hate to own up to it. I may sound like some kind of pompous all knowing jackass but i assure you i'm not. These are just the lessons i've learned in life, i do not always hold up to that though i strive to be the embodiment of my morals and ideals every day and i feel as though i'm getting closer each and every day. i guess thats enough for a simple comment :P
"Love is not the opposite of hate. Indifference is."
People toss around the word "love" too much.
my recent ex boyfriend said he loved me on the first date.
meaningless to say our relationship lasted about a month and I was left completely hurt.
I think it is true. People nowdays use the word Love way too often, and its starting to lose its meaning. It's kinda sad really.
I love few and hate fewer. I'm careful with those words. If I say I love you, it tends to mean forever, no-matter-what-you-do, you-can't-make-me-stop. It isn't a conditional thing. I love my daddy, I love my family, I love my unbiological brothers, I love my home, state, the South, and my country. That's pretty much it.
I don't tell people I hate 'em, just because it leads to lots of drama and kinda gives them a weapon to use against me. To this day, there are only two people I hate. And I hate them because of things they have done to people I love. I don't like to talk about hating those people, or even those people at all.
meh. i use hate/love in silly ways, and in other ways that i mean them. however, love is supposed to be a positive thing. therefore, i can forgive it's more popular use.
high schoolers throw love like it's free to give....ok it is. :P
I came to a similar realization when I started dating my SO. From that point, I stopped saying "I LOVE *insert inanimate object here*" because I didn't want him to think that I "love" everything. That way, when we finally came to that point in our relationship, it actually meant something.
However I believe there are many different ways to love. I don't love my friends like I love my mom. I love some guys but not the way I love my SO. There is a difference between being "in love" and just love.
I believe you are forgetting that love has many definitions. one of them being a deep affection for something (which is usually towards people), similar to the one you described. But there is also another which is just a strong liking towards something...like a love for music. there are probably more definitions...just dictionary.com it...and you'll see that yes, it's possible to love my phone, because i like it a lot!