I feel compelled to write about one ofthe most overused words of the last decade and so. The word hate. My American Heritage Dictionary simply defines the word as intense animosity or hostility. But where does this amimosity or hostility come from? In the early 90’s, the Notorious B.I.G and Sean P.Ditty Combs popularized the term “playa hater” As outdated and cliche as the phrase has become since, it was nothing short of brilliance to coin a phrase that so accurately describes an common behavior in men.
In Hip-Hop, an expression or act of hate often stems from jealousy or the insecurities of another man. But what makes one jealous or resentful by another man’s success or good fortune? On the surface, it seems irrational for a man to have any concerns about another man’s life and what’s he’s achieved. Like jay-Z says, “what you eat, don’t make me shit.” Another man’s life should never have any bearing on your own.
What is it that turns men into haters? I truly believe it’s not what seems obvious on the surface. It’s really not about the weath, talent, fame,women and success but what it symbolizes to the man who is lacking any one of these things. It’s a painful reminder of his inadequacies and what he hasn’t achieved. It’s a threat to his ego. Subconsciously he feels that somehow, someway he doesn’t quite measure up and that he must be a sucker. As a result, he begins to adopt sucker-like behavior. If he allows himself to indulge in such unappealing behavior, sooner or later, he will eventually get played like a sucker.
There are an infinite amount of examples of how and why people hate. Back in the early 80’s in New York City, there was a talentless graffiti writer named Cap MPC. Cap was the biggest hater in graffiti ever. He was jealous of all the hot burners and whole cars that guys like Kel 1st, Seen Tc5, Min-One, Skeme and Dez usedto produced. Secretly I suspect he wanted to burn, but it wasn’t happening for him. So instead he went over the burners with ugly ass throw-ups and destroyed countless whole cars in order to get fame. He weakly justified his actions by sayingthat he was a “bomber.” Haters tend to make excuses and justifications for their actions. It comes with their weak character.
Hecklers heckle comdedians at their shows because they’re sore that the spotlight isn’t on them. So they attempt to steal some of the comdeian’s shine with whack ass jokes. A good comdedian will send the jerk home embarassed and his girlfriend or wife annoyed with him.
Some hate is more subtle like when a friend always feel the need to one-up you. It seems like that no matter where you been, done or been through, so have they, just a little bit better than you.
Another form of hate is when you present an idea to a friend or business assoicate and they manage to find everycon that is wrong with it before you even finish the sentence, instantly killing your newborn dream.
Other kinds of hate are more subliminal like when a friend or co-worker fails to give you props for something you deserve. Yes, refusing to recognize is a form of hate on the low.
Then there are some hate that is just plain obnoxious and stupid. One time I arrived at a work related party stylishly dressed in a Brooks Borthers suit and Thomas Pink shirt. After some of my co-worker finished complimenting me on my look, one underdressed jerk sarcastically informed me that he liked my “outfit.” I am not a guy who wears outfits.
So you see, their are many different ways to hate. Some people cleverly try to diguise their hate and it isn’t always obvious, but you can always smell it when it’s directed at you. As you begin to grow more sophisicated with your eye for such behaviors, they become rather transparent. Pity the hater. They’re painfully weak, tortured souls you should do best to ignore when they try to throw hate on your game. Kill them with kindness and indifference.
One might try to argue that since I seem to know so much about haters that I must be a hater myself. To this I have to say, doctors know a awful lot about Cancer, but they don’t always have Cancer.
*This blog is not directed at any one individual in paerticular, so don’t make the mistake of assuming. That would be hating on the low. Peace!
Posted on October 31, 2007 at 07:54 AM | Comment (22 comments)
