As I get older and times invariably change, one can't help but listen to the transformation that's occurred/ing in our daily conversation. The repetitive use some words get in order to assist many of us to describe or convey our wishes, emotions or feelings, about a particular situation or how we feel about each other?

A word that has crept into our daily discourse, either among family members, friends or acquaintances, but is frequently used and seemingly with abandon. But in my humble view, has the very worst, of the worst of overtones, and is probably at the very core of ALL our deteriorating relations. Those relations are usually of international significance, and generally have ineradicable - deep religious implications, as we've all witnessed.

Internally among our own, there's always an ugly manifestation of this vile word, as evidenced whenever we have a need to elect a new federal, state or local government; even among our own small circle of family or friends.

That specific word is intended to be, the most corrosive, injurious, destructive, and hurtful. Probably more so than perhaps any other within our language....that word in my own opinion is; 'HATE'!

Please consider for a moment, what it is that drives many of our enemies, our criminals, even some of our colleagues? By no means is 'HATE' limited to the aforementioned, in fact even our friends, family members, in fact anyone or any group so minded that may wish to really hurt us, are generally motivated or driven and ultimately 'infected' by 'HATE' !

Sounds like 'hate' speech...

Dear O Sung Wu,

There's a variety of words tha can conjure up all sorts
of images for us individually and because of their
connotations can cause an aversion to those particular
words. The New York Times explains:

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/07/science/moist-word-aversion.html

Your reference to the word "hate" reminds me of the golden oldie:

"An old Cherokee told his grandson:

"My child, there's a battle between two wolves inside us all."

"One is Evil. It's anger, jealousy, greed, resentment, inferiority,
lies, and ego."

"The other is Good. It's joy, peace, love, hope, humility, kindness,
and truth."

The boy thought about it, and asked:

"Grandfather, which wolf wins?"

The old man quietly replied:

"The one you feed."

Hi there FOXY...

It's really good to hear from you, and I hope you're in sustained good health FOXY.

Some of these wise indigenous peoples have developed some meaningful, even profound axioms or aphorisms over time. None more so then the American Native Indian. I guess through years of oppression and repression, and being tightly corralled by the US Cavalry during the mid to late 1800's and early 1900's, I suppose you would need to develop some measure of personal philosophy, otherwise you'd be ground into complete submission, and devoid of any identity.

I can only wonder if there's a word more hurtful, wounding and malicious than 'hate', within our English lexicon ? I myself make use of the word frequently, mainly because my vocabulary is relatively restricted, and my education could only be described as rudimentary.

I do wonder therefore, how much 'hatred' is about, and what can humanity do about it ? Can we shed the word altogether ? If so, would it make even a skerrick of difference ? To occasion an act of calculated violence upon another, is it necessary that one must harbour a genuine sentiment of 'hatred' for them first ? Is this word 'hate' a vital ingredient or antecedent to 'premeditated violence', as opposed to spontaneous violence - similar to that of self-defence ?

Hi folks : )

o sung wu,

"....mainly because my vocabulary is relatively restricted, and my education could only be described as rudimentary.'

Not in the least, my good man....you're one of the most eloquent contributors on this forum.

Dear o sung wu,

Mine is the word 'client' most notably, but not wholly restricted to, those who should be called patients.

This economic overlay the neo-liberal technocrats have been determined to impose over everything real serves to dehumanise and degrade the notion of individual human beings.

Just as an aside I have several others which are more bugbears than anything else. My current one is people answering questions with the first word out of their mouth being 'So...”. It is recent, as in the last 5 years, and it bugs the hell out of me.

One of our traditional favourites among my mates, which usually results in the transgressor having to scull his beer is the word 'actually'. We have deemed it is perhaps one of the most useless word in the English language and no sentence is the lesser for omitting it.

But the ultimate annoying word for these mature ears is 'like' which still seem to have currency with the younger generation.

I will have to ask my mother what words we children used that annoyed her. I'm sure there were a few.

Dear O Sung Wu,

Thanks for your concern.

I'm still a work in progress.
But, I'm staying positive.

I agree with Poirot.

I always look forward to your posts.

There is so much hatred in this world.
A fundamental insight of sociology is that once people
no longer take their world for granted, but instead
understand the social authorship of their lives and
futures, they can become an irresistible force in
history. Whether we choose to destroy our
civilisation or save it is a collective decision and
it is one that hopefully may well be made within our
lifetimes.

If we continue with the destruction of our planet,
if more nuclear weapons are built, and if more
sophisticated methods of delivering them are devised,
then surely we risk our own destruction.

If ways are found to reverse this process, then we can
divert unprecedented energy and resources to the real
problems that face us, including poverty,, disease,
overpopulation, injustice, oppression, and the
devastation of our natural environment.

We can only hope and trust that our ultimate choice
will be to enhance life on this lovely planet of ours,
before it's too late. Hatred destroys.

I find it very annoying when people keep repeating
the words, "You know..." in their conversations.
I'll let you know as some more come to find.

//Your most despised or loathed single word in the English language, and why?//

At the moment 'Gertrude' springs to mind. A sort of anti-particle to 'cellar door' - a word so ugly just because of how it sounds that even Vogon poets wouldn't dream of using it.

My sincerest apologies to anybody named Gertrude: you were not to blame for your parent's poor choices.

And while we're on the subject of horrible things to call your daughter, what is the go with all these supposedly loving parents naming their female offspring Mackenzie? Are they so ill-informed as to be unaware that the prefix 'Mac' or 'Mc' means 'son of'? What sort of weirdo names their daughter Mac-anything? And people say that Safe Schools causes gender confusion. What about all these weirdoes proclaiming their DAUGHTERS to be the SON of Kenzie (or Kenneth, Ken)?

If I think of a less pleasant word than Gertrude I'll let you know.

As FOXY has said '...hatred destroys...'! You're so, so right - I couldn't agree with you more. If some people in the world could only stop hating, then perhaps the recipient of that hate, may proffer the olive branch ?

Though I wonder, whenever a zealotry controlled religion is involved seeking to establish a world theocracy, those of whom are vehement practitioners of that particular faith, often are blinded to anything that involves secular common sense or secular standards of behaviour. Preferring instead to follow the strict dictates of their unique brand of fanatical religious beliefs.

Hi there POIROT...

Your kind remark is wholly misplaced I'm afraid. Regrettably, I've used my physical prowess and size, together with my academic ignorance, to menace and intimidate many of the young ne'er do wells during my early years in the job. Invariably in my time I must've generated quite a bit of hate directed to myself, as a consequence ?

Hi there STEELEREDUX...

Indeed we have in some measure been deprived of our human qualities and subsequently degraded ? I wonder if there will ever come a time, when we'll all be divested of our various names and be allotted a series of numbers instead. Our motor vehicles are subject to registration, why not us ?

I would've thought a series of numbers scientifically inscribed upon our foreheads would completely remove the need to possess any other documentations or other (hard copy) identification? Most convenient and cost effective I would've thought. Moreover it would aid those neo-liberal technocrats, to completely debase us, absolutely ?

Some of those annoying speech uses adopted by many of our 20-35 yo. - 'chill out', 'the oldies' 'LOL' 'the snorter's' and a 16yoa post-pubescent calling me 'mate'. Whenever we watch an American TV show, the phrase I find the most 'grating' is '...you know what I'm sayin'...'.

some things are worth loving and some hating. Surely dv,abortion and racism are worth hating while kindness, forgiveness and mercy are worth loving.

Hi there TONI...

I regret to say Toni the only 'Gertrude' I've ever known was a Friesian cow, who regularly delivered up her quantity of milk each day? The name as you would know is of Germanic origin meaning; 'spear maiden' which can be extrapolated to; Gert, Gertie, Trudy, or Trudi. So things can't be all that bad for all the Gertrude's of the world eh ? Notwithstanding the 'Vogon' poets may decline to incorporate the name within their work. Might a 'Bogon' poet be more dispossed to make some use of the name perhaps?

I agree with you Toni there's no accounting for what persuades modern parents whenever they select a given or christian name. All in the name of modernity I should think ? There's no thought given to the deleterious effect such a wretched name will have upon the child as they progress through their schooling. Some poor kid with a name like; 'Aethelbert' for a boy or 'Africa' or 'Sis' for a young girl, the mind boggles at the possibilities without limitations.

The biggest problem in the world today does not come from not hate but intolerance.

However, both are fed from flawed beliefs and belief systems that are used not as a reason for hate and intolerance but an excuse for both.

Good evening to you RUNNER and RACHE...

I can't argue with that RUNNER, indeed some things should be hated, similar to that which RACHE has opined with his take on 'intolerance' as an example, we should all genuinely hate intolerance, terminal illness, abhorrent crimes against women and young children the list is endless. As you say RACHE, flawed beliefs, anything misunderstood or misinterpreted can and does fuel hatred, either directly or indirectly ?

One should hate domestic violence and racism no doubt, even abortion if it's contrary to an individuals belief system? In fact to my delicate sensibilities, even the sound of the word 'HATE' is unpleasant and a real anathema to me.

Will we ever shed the word from our English language I wonder, I think not. 'Hate' is the most popular verb, and fastest growing diversion on the planet, that is until we all blow a valve ?

Toni: I have a soft spot for Gertrude, if only because a Gertrude had to be behind the house name in the Five Dock - Canada Bay area in Sydney: 'Gert by Sea'. It has to be 30 years since I saw it, but I still smile when I remember it. Thank you, Gert!

In 1944 18yr olds were storming the beaches at Normandy in the teeth of machine gun fire and shells. Today, teens need a safe space, because, you know, words hurt. An extreme example, but really are the new generation such delicate flowers that need to be protected from unpleasant ideas?

Are happy lies better than bitter truth?

Shadow Minister: Those 18 year olds (and all the 19, 20, etc.) were storming the beaches because a lot of hateful words against Jews (and others - homosexuals, gypsies, disabled people, black people) turned into a lot of hateful actions and were used to fuel the aggression towards Germany's neighbours.

I don't want to block hateful words in themselves, but to do something about hateful beliefs which lead to hateful actions. Taking a stand: that hateful words are unacceptable is part of standing up to hateful beliefs and actions.

"Today, teens need a safe space, because, you know, words hurt. An extreme example, but really are the new generation such delicate flowers that need to be protected from unpleasant ideas?"

Well, as anyone who reads anything on the internet or in the papers knows, it is near impossible to avoid hateful words these days - certainly I don't remember anything like it when I grew up. Maybe that's a good thing? Now we all know exactly what Aborigines, Jews, homosexuals etc. had always put up with. Maybe a safe space is not such as bad idea.

Hi there SHADOW MINISTER...

'...Are happy lies better than bitter truth...' ? A tough ethical and moral question you've posed here SM ?

Is it ethically and morally wrong when a Doctor tells a wife her husband passed peacefully when all the while he died screaming in pain and torment ?

Some of these young, apparently disenfranchised youth who prefer to loiter and lounge around the suburbs all day with no intention of seeking suitable employment, or being trained in order to gain a job. Should they be told the bitter truth, should they continue to pursue their existence of slothfulness or inactivity ?

Many would say put 'em in the Army ? Where they'll engender some personal discipline, industry and self reliance into these people. The trouble is SM the Army doesn't want them, they've become far more technical, as a consequence many wouldn't make the grade, in any area of the military ? Then something's got to 'give', otherwise we're going to see a burgeoning rise of more of our youth wishing to have a job free existence. Either remove all their benefits; Encourage them to work for their benefits, or Simply go hungry ? That is the bitter truth, wouldn't you agree SM ?

I don't see anything wrong with words like 'hate' or 'intolerance', since there is plenty to hate or not to tolerate. Terrorism, for example, murder, the burning alive of young girls, the machine-gunning of babies, blowing people up randomly, gulags or laogais, the blatant misuse of power, etc. - why shouldn't we hate all of these, and be intolerant of them ? Would that there were no evil things at all in the world, so that there wouldn't be any need for these words, but there you go.

But maybe, if there is love, then there is hate; if there is tolerance, then there is intolerance. Maybe not in equal measure, but I don't think we should shrink from hating, as above, or that we should tolerate some actions, or even viewpoints. Advocating the throwing gays off tall buildings - how can anyone tolerate such a pig-ignorant view ? Hacking away a girl's genitals - how on earth can we tolerate that ? Keeping half the world submissive, subordinate and at the will of men - how can one not hate that ?

Jut to clarify: people should be allowed to express their viewpoints, even if they are hateful and vile, but no opinion or viewpoint is sacred - they can in turn be ripped into. We should hate, be intolerant of and criticise opinions that incite violence against innocent people. Hate is good. Intolerance is good.

No, hate is vitally necessary in this world, as is intolerance, and will be until all evil is abolished, maybe by 2 o'clock on 21st November 2027, or earlier if possible.

Joe

I do understand what it is you're saying LOUDMOUTH, it's only right we hate and despise those things that can cause us all harm.

All I'm trying to say Joe, these terrible atrocities committed by ISIS and other fanatical religious groups are more or less driven by 'hate'. It's for this reason I think it's a word that can cause some much misery from a minute scale up to and including international terrorism.

Many of the crimes of violence committed 'in prison' are definitely precipitated by a hatred. Moreover, many incidences of really profound levels of violence, often leading to murder, that occur in the domestic settings (from my experiences at least) have their origins formulated in long term, and entrenched hate.

Sometimes encouraged by a close family relative, with serious interminable issues of malevolence and rancour toward the victim. And being so motivated, they may aid and abet the perpetrator in the commission of the offence. For a simple, four letter single syllable word, it can sure conjure up a great deal of power and influence over people !

I'm sorry Joe, I'm sometimes at a loss of how to express precisely what it is, I'm trying to convey, therefore I hope the foregoing will help in some way to explain my position ?

Hi O Sung Wu,

'Hate' is a word, and I don't think it ever killed anybody. Hate does, every day lately, it seems: Somalia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Turkey - hundreds of innocent people killed by bombs, by evil people, by an evil ideology. Such evil SHOULD be hated, surely ?

But I go along with the Christian maxim, 'Hate the sin, not the sinner', up to a point. Maybe not terrorists though. However, even the purest of us can come out with hateful ideas: Gandhi is reported to have reflected that, if Jews under Nazi oppression had committed mass suicide, this "would have aroused the world and the people of Germany to Hitler's violence." [George Orwell, 'Reflections on Gandhi', quoted in Sam Harris' 'The End of Faith', p. 202.] i.e. that to avoid being hated, they should have killed themselves. So innocent people should do what their haters want ? Never: that just lets the haters off the hook.

I wish there wasn't evil in the world, but since there is, then hate is necessary, proper, just and to be advocated enthusiastically.

When I first noticed this Forum title, I thought it was about words that we shouldn't use. When I was in Third Class, I had a wonderful teacher named Mr Laffey: he taught us not to use lazy words like 'got', and 'nice', for which there were far more appropriate and expressive words. He used to write them on a bit of paper and put the bits in a box, suspended from the classroom ceiling. That way, he forced us to find better words, to be mindful of how we spoke and wrote. Brilliant man.

Evil exists. Evil people do terrible things, motivated by evil and hateful ideologies, tarted up as religion. Surely we must oppose such terrible ideas - we must hate them ? Otherwise what are we, brainless, moral-less jellyfish ?

Not that I've got anything against jellyfish. They've only got one life like the rest of us. Leave them in peace.

Joe

Hi again Joe (LOUDMOUTH)...

I agree entirely with what you've said, that hate has never killed anybody. However, hate does precipitate or triggers violence a very necessary ingredient I would've thought. I would agree, when in Vietnam, I couldn't say, 'hand on heart' I 'hated' our enemy. I did however 'hate' the heat, the dust, the humidity, the mozzies, the risk of stepping into a 'panji pit' and a million other things that made our lives most uncomfortable. I feared our enemy, but 'hate' no, never.

I would hasten to say though Joe, that most premeditated acts of violence were 'hate' driven. 'Hate' to me at least, is a vile word with all of the worst connotations imaginable. I'll agree it's in common use today, almost everywhere without exception. I use the word myself - often and unthinkingly. I hate the traffic, politicians, expensive fuel costs etc etc. Perhaps Joe I'm simply getting too old and contrary, as well as manifestly obstinate!

From my experience, those making the loudest noises about, and excuses for racism and hatred have never been the victims of it.

It's also tribalism in it's most raw and basic form - the "us and them".

Even if the "others" don't exist we create them to feel more assured about ourselves. Communists, Asians, Muslims, gays ..who's next?

Hate and fear are also the handiest levers for all leaders to pull to make people do what you want them to do.

This thread is an exercise in Political Correctness.
To ban "Hate" is as silly as banning "Love".

They are words to describe an emotion.
That is all, nothing more than that.

Too much time to waste I suspect.

Hi there BAZZ...

Perhaps you're right, it may be an exercise in political correctness, I wouldn't know - and I suspect neither would you.

For your benefit BAZZ; what I was trying to convey was not the import of the verb 'hate' in isolation, rather what it represents in the hearts and minds of those who wish to exact their own brand of 'hate' on those who represent everything that's an anathema to their ideology and religious proclivities.

'Hate' in itself is found in everyday use, and employed quite frequently whenever most of us wish to describe our abhorrence for something that may do nothing more than simply annoy us. Maybe ranging from a variety of food we dislike immensely, through to someone in our workplace, or anything else we might find irritating or tiresome. Implausibly as it may seem BAZZ, there are many who 'hate' police ?

The precise paradigm of 'hate' to which I refer, is one that may best be described as institutionalised. ISIS 'hates' the West. HITLER 'hated' the Jews - that in essence BAZZ is precisely what it was I was referring too, and you do know it ! I have no illusions BAZZ, a man of your superior intellect will easily unravel my fundamental explanation, without the need to engage in language of a kind that is discernibly condescending. Have a good afternoon there ol' man.