Love, Hate = like, annoyed
I think we have all noticed that the media uses tantalizing headlines to attract us. That trick has been around for a very long time but started getting worse when we added the choice of cable news to the three network broadcasts. Soon social media evolved and information flew from everyone and anyone around the globe at lightning speeds. With all of these sources available, words got more and more provocative as everyone was trying to get our attention. Simply put, a war of hyperbole of words was on. Consequently, I think a lot of them lost their meaning.
I've been thinking about this because I noticed that I don't use some words the way I used to. For example, I say I love or hate something frequently which usually means I like or dislike something, or probably more correctly, I find something annoying. That is not the way I have always used these words.
In the meantime, have you noticed that you use words differently today in this world of hyperbole?
I never thought about this, but you are right about the use of "love" and "hate". I thought a few a months ago, that I wish I had names for the more subtle shades of colors like green. I tend to say green for all sorts of shades, lacking other names quickly coming to mind. Life is reduced perhaps this way.
ReplyDeleteGo look at paint samples and you'll find all kinds of names for different shades of green. Most of them don't make sense, though.
DeleteI think you're onto something about not always having the language for different degrees of things.
I still avoid using the word "hate"--at least I think I avoid it, but maybe it has crept in and I haven't noticed? I use the word "evil" much more casually than I did in my younger years. I use it to describe something I dislike ("That smells evil").
ReplyDeleteInteresting that you substitute evil for hate. That takes the emotion away from you and makes it a negative adjective for the thing. Maybe it was never realistic to avoid using hate because it comes out one way or another.
DeleteI LOVE this post... bwahahahahah! Seriously though, I think you're on to something. CatMan and I have a running joke about how I NEVER exaggerate. I don't really know where our penchant for hyperbole comes from, but I think your theory about the constant barrage of media seeking our attention is quite likely.
ReplyDeleteI do think it's a bit dangerous though - there's a tendency to put everything into the same bucket. I mean we lose our shades of gray and life devolves into a black and white experience. Everything's either exalted or evil. It both elevates small things into big ones and dilutes the seriousness of things that really are big.
I think that was what was bothering me, I was losing my shades of gray. I think it might benefit all of us if we cut back on listening/reading the news and read (listened to) a good book and remember what its like when someone uses words to indicate both hyperbole and shades of gray.
DeleteI think we have become more effusive or gushing, these days, and that's why we often use words like "love" to mean like or enjoy. In the same way, we use "hate" to emphasize how much we dislike something. I think I am more likely to write love and hate than actually say them in general conversation.
ReplyDelete