Mondays on the Margins Postponed Because Someone Pissed Me Off

How do you feel when someone says "I hate kids"? I just read a review on Goodreads, and admittedly I'm not predisposed to adore this reviewer because she's kind of arrogant and seems to really fancy herself as a force to be reckoned with, and her sycophantic followers just feed into this. She said she hates kids used as plot devices, which is fine, but the whole statement is "I hate kids, and I hate kids used as plot devices."

Would you say "I hate Chinese people" or "I hate short people" the same way? Why is it acceptable for anyone to dismiss an entire segment of the population this way? It's not like kids can help the fact that they're kids. If we didn't keep making them, there would be no damned people left. I get that there can be a divide between parents and child-free people. I think it's valid for child-free people to express their opinions and concerns on how children behave in public spaces. But "I hate kids?" All kids? All the time? You HATE them?

It's not that I think everybody should love kids. It's not that I'm thinking 'oh, if you'd met mine you wouldn't say that.' Sometimes my kids ARE annoying. It's entirely possible that someone could meet them and not be completely enchanted. But hate them? Just because they're kids?

I guess it doesn't really matter. I'm probably being oversensitive. I've just seen this exact statement made a few times in the past few months, and I keep writing bitchy Facebook statuses about it and then erasing them. It's her review, I guess she can say whatever she wants, which is why I haven't responded there. But I'm kind of angry. I guess I don't like people who say they hate kids.

Comments

Swistle said…
I don't like it either! It seems like the sort of thing someone says for shock value. I'm imagining her feeling proud of herself for being so bold, without really thinking about what she's saying---like teenagers do.
Nicole said…
I know what you mean. I understand some people not being "kid people" and maybe not even liking being around kids. But hating all children everywhere?
the queen said…
Yeah, I think she's going for a laugh. Two elements of humor: shock and exaggeration
the queen said…
"I hate kids used as plot devices. Also, I hate kids." That would have been funny.
Maggie said…
I agree with you. It's totally fine not to be all about kids. Heck there are some kids I don't particularly like either, but it's not because they are kids, it's because I know them and they are difficult (before typing that word, I mentally considered jackasses, horrible, and nasty).

I can't understand hating an entire segment of society based on some trait they have no control over so I'm not a fan of a broad brush statement about hating all kids.
Wow! I don't think I have ever heard someone say they hated kids! That's ridiculous: we have all been kids, haven't we? Human beings are human beings, imperfect yet all worthy of respect. Even if they're annoying at times (can you tell I have kids? haha). By the way, I love kids. :-)
Unknown said…
I pulled up to the drive-through window of a Tim Horton's last week just as the cashier was saying "I hate babies. Sometimes, I just want to punt them" to one of her co-workers. My eyes must of bugged out of my head, because she immediately started sputtering out an "I mean...".

I get it. I'm not a huge fan of babies (except my own, obviously . She's the world's best baby), but I would never generalize ALL babies or kids in a blanket "I hate" statement.
slow panic said…
I hope that person has kids some day and then remembers saying/writing that and then feels awful.

Which is probably awful of me.
StephLove said…
This is s milder example but someone at my book club was passing out post cards for a holiday craft show she's involved with and I was thinking of going but then I noticed it said "no children please" and even though I wasn't necessarily going to bring the kids and even though I understand why you might not want kids at all events, it didn't sit right. I probably won't go.

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