Haters... (ready for this?) ...Hate

Okay, this may not be either a brilliant or even an original observation, but haters hate.

(Space left here for your "Duh!"s)

What is generally less obvious (but still not an original observation) is that haters hide what they are.

Back in 1982 author and psychiatrist M. Scott Peck MD wrote a book entitled "People of the Lie." Its strongly supported thesis was based on an observation he had over and over been making through his life that the nastiest people he met were found in the various healing professions -- both physical and spiritual. That hateful people seemed to bury themselves there, in the "healing professions", where under a guise of 'goodness' they could look for victims -- most of whom were other people who claimed to be "caring," but in their cases sincerely -- and crush them.

When, at the time I was originally reading his book, I mentioned Dr. Peck's observation to a family member who had spent her entire life as a 'carer' -- in her case of the learning disabled -- she very strongly agreed with Peck's observation and started sharing one example of this after another. Ones that she herself had seen and experienced and was still seeing and experiencing.

This came to my mind because of the dichotomy I am myself observing here on Facebook - a place where hate and vitriol are in my eyes far too common. -But where I have been seeing, much to my amazement, that the worst examples of this hatefulness are found, not among my own friends, most of whom tend to be 'people of the idea,' but among others whom... yes! ... are commonly seen as "caring" people. 'Feelers.' 'Love everyone' sloganeers.

Among my thoughtful circle of largely hard-nosed realists a comment by one will bring two, three or maybe in some cases a half dozen equally thoughtful comments. Among these others any comment that even mentions certain disapproved by their set public figures by name will in just minutes get 60 or more 'short and nasties.' -Comments that not only show a relish for name-calling, but for wishing harm on the hated recipient.

Hate.

Group hate.

Cursed.

Slandered.

Wished dead.

All this by people of what? Yes, Peck had it right. "People of the lie."

Those who really care, of course, do none of those things.

I bet you are seeing this too.

_