Last week, some pop culture consumer good sailed over the transom, a “buy this and save the world” item like Kashi cereal bars and compact fluorescent light bulbs. Since buying one thing will not save the world, I made a vow I would never buy the unnamed product.
I wrote Reggie a note about it and told him how much I hated false promotions, often perpetrated by a well-meaning man or woman who unfortunately ends up lining the bulging pockets of a faceless corporation. I wrote quite a rant and I used the words “hate this shizzle.”
His response surprised me.
“Think about whether it’s worth the emotional commitment that hate requires.”
It’s worth thinking about today.
Julie-Ann Baumer 
Nice post and open mind but I wouldn’t be so easily deflected. Sometimes knowing what we stand for means knowing what we stand against, in this case, whether the subject is a matter of actual hate or about the disturbed, absent-minded use of the word. It’s all incredibly instructive, useful and non-bullshitty. The trick, rather, I think, is for the sentient, caring person to feel the extent of the disappointment, shit and loss yet not be framed, paralyzed or bound by it. If we persist, as you do here and everywhere Julie-Ann, we might then find a way to make art out of it, as you do here. You Keep Rocking!
If I may interject… My comment to Julie wasn’t intended to deflect her from her disgust with the advertising, the implied promise and delivered conceit. My objection was to her facile use of the word “hate.” I can suggest a thousand other terms and descriptions appropriate to what she was revulsed by, but hate isn’t one of them.
In fact, one of the worst neologisms of our day is “hating on,” as in when my children ask me, “Why are you hating on this?” There are a dozen mental shortcuts all wrapped up in a phrase like that, all meant to substitute right feeling (I ain’t hating on it so I can feel good about myself) for careful thought and argument about whether something is good or bad, should or should not be approved.
Real hate is deep, it is dark, and it abides. It takes great energy to keep those embers glowing when they are damped, and more energy to fan them back into flame. There is no shortage of real hate in the world. However, Julie’s disgust with a deceptive marketing campaign adds not an iota to it. Hence my objection to her using the word.
Thank you Caleb and Reggie for your comments, which add richly to the conversation about how to live with authenticity in a world of smoke screens and fabrications.
Reggie’s response is oh-so-true. Hate is not worth the emotional commitment. I know it firsthand. Enjoying your writing as much now as I did so many years ago. Just discovered your blog. Your talent is amazing. Harvey would be proud! Guess Who…
I was puzzled for a minute because in my 22 year old brain, Harvey will always be Dr. Kail, but then it all fell into place, my friend! Life is surely a strange thing, the tempests of youth and ego and all the mistakes we make. Thank you for the compliments on my blog and please visit again!