What's your pet hate?

Australia
September 12, 2009 8:43pm CST
Everyone has at least one thing they absolutely hate. Some hate relatively trivial things, others hate major things, and I don't care which you want to answer with; but mine is a major thing. I absolutely loath evangelicanism. For those unfamiliar with the term, it means going out and pushing your belief system onto other people, usually in a religious setting, but it can be applied to any interest if it's done the same way. The Jehovah's Witness who comes knocking uninvited on your door is the classic example. Those are easy to deal with, even if you don't have a savage attack dog handy. What's not so easy to deal with is the ones you find on sites like MyLot. Their evangelicalism is almost invariably delivered with the total arrogance of believing only they (or their path) is correct, and all others are wrong. They are not invariably stupid, but more often than not they appear to be uneducated and stupid, and unable to put three words together sensibly, yet they will quite happily tell a much more intelligent and better educated person that he or she should learn to think. The other thing that invariably goes hand in hand with evangelicanism is the twin evil of inflexibility and intolerance. Actually, I'm not sure which of those three is the chicken, which the egg, and which the germinator, but they're all equally invidious and all part of a complex of attitudes that are both dangerous and infuriating. Alright, that was all a bit heavy, and I don't expect, as I said, that all responses will be about heavy stuff. It's just that it really eats at me, and has been triggered by one particular member of the site over the past few days. So, serious or funny, heavy or light, what's your pet hate and why? Lash
3 people like this
10 responses
@maryihla (103)
• United States
13 Sep 09
Everyone should have the right to believe what they want to believe. However, I resent being told that anyone who doesn't subscribe to a certain narrow-minded belief is somehow a bad person. You are so right that evangelism often goes hand-in-hand with intolerance and inflexibility. What I particularly abhor is the herd mentality of these people. They tend to form their beliefs not from critical thinking, but rather from what they hear on talk radio and from the pulpit. Trying to reason with such people is impossible. They cannot participate in a reasonable debate because they have not formed their own legitimate opinions, but are simply parroting what they hear from other bigoted and closed-minded individuals. Thank you for starting this discussion, although I'm sure you and everyone with a like mind who responds will be flamed.
• Australia
13 Sep 09
I'm always pleased to find I'm not a minority of one lol. So, do I assume this is also your pet hate or just one of them, and do you something else that would fill that role? Lash
@maryihla (103)
• United States
13 Sep 09
I don't think I really hate anything, but there are certainly things I dislike, 1. Intolerant people 2. Bigoted people 3. Dishonest people 4. Holier-Than-Thou people 5. Oysters
• United States
13 Sep 09
I hate people who only think of themselves all of the time. I cannot stand people who think that they have the perfect life and that they cannot do anything wrong. I cannot stand people who have to be perfect and who have to live perfect lives.
• United States
13 Sep 09
If it is OCD, that is a different story, I had OCD and I wanted to kill myself because my OCD was so bad. I am talking about people who do not have OCD who have to pride themselves on being completely perfect. I know so many people who are like this, but then it is funny because they have the worst relationships. I do pity them a little bit.
• Australia
13 Sep 09
Well really, don't you think people as deluded as that deserve more in the way of compassionate pity? Lash
1 person likes this
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
13 Sep 09
I'm no fan of the evangelist type either and being preached to by someone that has no intentions whatsoever of giving a toss about anything I have to say is frustrating to say the least. My number one pet hate of them all though would definitely have to be arrogance. I can't tolerate it and despise it with every fibre of my being. It's such a foul and demeaning character trait for a person to have. And last but not least, rhubarb is up there as well. Yes, I know it's not in the same context as your own example or arrogance, but rhubarb is pure shite! I see you have a red 9 star now too mate! Not losing your touch are ya???
• Australia
13 Sep 09
Pumpkin beats rhubarb any day of the week. As for the red star, I think it means I've finally connected with all the others in here who share my quirky view of the universe.I refuse to consider it a sign of slippage. By the way, James old chap, did you know that the word arrogance comes from arrogate, which is defined as making claim to a social position you are not entitled to - like claiming to be a nobleman when you're merely an esquire. I don't have too much problem with someone being "arrogant" about things they are good at, if they have good reason other than ego to be so. Like telling off ignorant uneducated stupid prats by extolling one's own massive intelligence and superior education lol. Lash
1 person likes this
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
13 Sep 09
"Like telling off ignorant uneducated stupid prats by extolling one's own massive intelligence and superior education lol" Thank God I don't know anyone like THAT! LMAO
@4mymak (1793)
• Malaysia
13 Sep 09
My pet-hate: 1) show-offs - cant stand people who act, talk like they know everything, or try their very best to show that they are better than you.. 2) smokers who dont know where to smoke - simply puff away, even when they're in 'non-smoking' areas...
• Australia
13 Sep 09
Ah yes, both fair entries. But the second reminds me of one of mine, which is evangelical non-smokers, particularly those who attack me for smoking even where it IS allowed. Thanks for the response. Lash
@littleone3 (2063)
13 Sep 09
I have to agree with you on that one if Jehovah witness come knocking on my door I tell them I don't believe that usually makes them go away. Also do not like people that stand in the middle of the town and preach the bible at you, 'bible bashers' we call them. That reminds me of a story my friend told me her and her daughter were in our town centre and they came across a man preaching so her daughter who was about 13 at the time stood next to him and started to preach about the devil. I would have loved to have seen his face. Anyway back to the question my pet hates would have to be liars especially people who lie to save their own skin or to make themselves look good or better then everyone else. Also two faced people the ones who are nice to your face, then make nasty comments behind your back. I would much rather them say it to my face if they have anything nasty to say to me.
• Australia
13 Sep 09
A few years back I used to greet Jehovahs and their like by giving them a big smile and telling them that I was an initiated priest of Wicca, a witch (and I was), and how nice to have someone to try to convert. lol. They would run like frightened rabbits. Lash
@Cherryd41 (1119)
• United States
13 Sep 09
Hi Grandpa Oh my gosh those Jehobah's Witness my gosh they are a pain in the butt! They are so tenacious they just don't quit its ridiculous because you have to stop short of almost hurting their feelings to get them to leave. I just tell them OK leave the info if you want but I don't have time to sit and chat with you or have you give me a sermon today. They go on and on and on they kept my husband at the door for alost 20 minutes he's a nice guy and doesn't like to feel as though he's hurting someones feelings I'm like that too but we both have a limit so when that happened I just came to the door and said" honey we gotta go" sometimes I'll even say you caught us in the middle of breakfast lunch or dinner LOL the one I do lately is stop them right at the door before they ring the bell I stick my head out the window and say ...... "Sorry you caught me at a bad time" and they say "Well we'll just leave you with some literature" I say ok leave it in the door (cuz I ain't comin down to get it because then you'll try and start a conversation about what I just told you I dont have time to listen to. They can be quite clever at that you gotta watch em!
• Australia
13 Sep 09
I know this is hard for nice polite people to grasp, but politeness doesn't work. Be blunt and very specific. Now, is this also your pet hate, or is there something else that really annoys you? Lash
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
13 Sep 09
hi grandpa lash you and me both.the Jehovahs were so persistant that when I told them I was a diabetic and had low blood sugar and had to go in and get someorange juice they just stood'there while i went in and locked the door. got my juice and my son asked me' why there were people waiting on the doorstep and I told him, so he went out and he said" My mom is sick and I want you to leave now,what partof leave dont you understand? You kept her talking so long she 'almost went into a coma.,please leave now." and they did leave quickly so I guess I would hAve let him handle them the next time they showed up.talk about being christian a good christian would not make you pass out.
• Australia
13 Sep 09
I'm not at all polite, possibly because I'm a cantankerous old coot, but probably more because this IS my pet hate. I simply tell them first that I'm not a believer and not interested, and if they persist I tel them to fu$k off or I'll set the dog on them. It usually works. But, do you have another pet hate, or is this also your most hated thing? Lash
@mark17779 (667)
13 Sep 09
I could probabally sit here all day with an endless list of pet hates lol. My main 2 pet hate's are 1 - People who spit in the street, who wants to see flem eh 2 - People who drag their feet whilst walking, pick your feet up and save a fortune on footwear.
• Philippines
13 Sep 09
hate the other dog in the neigborhood.... LOL but i guess thats normal LOL i love dogs and thats my pet.... thanks for the nice post keep it up feel free to read my post too... thanks again until next time bye...
• United States
13 Sep 09
I hate when people act real nasty.