You know what’s Not on Roids, but somehow permeates social media? The I Hate People aesthetic. Seriously. Its everywhere. You see it on mugs, t-shirts, bumper stickers… its become a brand. And while some folks genuinely feel like the world is a giant, noisy toddler throwing spaghetti at a wall, there’s a bizarre disconnect between feeling grumpy and plastering it across consumer goods.
Lets unpack this. Why do we even say we hate people? It’s rarely literal. More often, it’s an overreaction to social exhaustion. Were bombarded with demands for our attention – notifications, opinions, requests! Our brains are overloaded, and I hate people becomes a shorthand for “Please, just five minutes of peace.”
It’s also performative. Let’s be honest; publicly declaring your disdain for humanity often gets you more attention than quietly enjoying solitude. Its a low-effort way to signal coolness or cynicism, like wearing black turtlenecks and pretending to read Sartre.
So, whats the solution? Actual self-reflection. Instead of buying a I Hate People tote bag (seriously, who are you trying to impress?), try setting boundaries. Unfollow aggressively cheerful influencers. Put your phone on silent. Invest in noise-canceling headphones. Go for walks without posting about it. You might find that the world isn’t quite as terrible as you thought… or at least, youll feel less obligated to complain about it publicly. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need a break from people writing articles about hating people.
