Soul-Poll
SOUL-POLL: Who's More Irritating? Haters or Stans?
We decided to go a different route for this week's Soul-Poll, preferring to focus on blog culture rather than music.In nearly every urban music blog we come across on a daily basis, we've seen simple posts about an artist or a new video or song devolve into immature, repetitive, faceless name-calling. The two main words that are frequently tossed about are "hater" and "stan". It could be argued that whoever throws the first dart falls into the opposing category themselves, but it isn't always that simple.
If we ever use that kind of terminology here at SoulBounce, we do it with a wink and and nudge, because we're trying to cultivate a "different" kind of audience here. Also, we don't mention certain artists in the first place, effectively avoiding any of those exchanges.
It does occur to us from time to time, that "haters" and "stans" do exist, and most of them are rather annoying. After the bounce, you get to vote on who's the worst and, perhaps, implicate yourself as one of them in the comments. Because it's funny, and we love being entertained as much as you do.
Definitions, via UrbanDictionary:
Hater: A person that simply cannot be happy for another person's success. So rather than be happy they make a point of exposing a flaw in that person. Hating, the result of being a hater, is not exactly jealousy. The hater doesnt really want to be the person he or she hates, rather the hater wants to knock someone else down a notch.What these definitions leave out is that haters, by nature, know nothing, while hardcore stans know too much.
Stan: Based on the central character in the Eminem song of the same name, a "stan" is an overzealous maniacal fan for any celebrity or athlete.
So who lowers the discourse more? Someone that acts on blind, knee-jerk negative judgment or someone that equates his/her favorite entertainers with the Almighty God in Heaven? Swallow the lump in your throat and get to voting.
Comments
Hater:
I LOATHE that term because it implies that if you are not the sheep that follows what's popular just for the sake of it being popular, something must be wrong with you. but fuck it...If me thinking that lil wayne is garbage or 2pac and biggie were 2 of the most overrated artists in hip hop makes me a hater, then so be it.
andre | May 26, 2008 12:26 PM | PermalinkI'm gonna have to say haters are the worse, but keep in mind that most haters just hate on what they see posted on blogs or what they talk about at the water cooler (but I forgive them for they know not what they do; they just being brainwashed). But then you have some EXTREME haters that TROLL around the internet trying to find info on someone they don't like so they can talk 'ish. Seems like the haters thrive off of the negative.
labouche | November 20, 2007 1:02 PM | PermalinkI don't think it's a fair poll, because the "haters" will hate on the Stans even if they've been a Stan for something/someone else.
What's life without passion. I vote Haters (even though some Haters have a tendancy to be funny)
Sinshine | November 15, 2007 9:56 PM | PermalinkThis is impossible. They're both crazy LOL.
angel | November 15, 2007 9:45 PM | PermalinkHaters are worse. Stans are all about the love...we need more love man, not negativity! ;)
Ms. Kiti | November 15, 2007 3:34 PM | PermalinkHaters are worse. Usually stans come out after something negative has already been said. And, like you said, haters don't know what they're talking about EVER. Yes, I am a stan for ONE person and ONE person only. I'm sure y'all can guess who. LOL.
bmd | November 15, 2007 1:42 PM | PermalinkHaters ... no question. They just dog whoever it's popular to dog at the moment and can't think for themselves. At least a stan is not a fairweather supporter and sticks by their favorite singer, actor, or whoever. Haters are bandwagon jumpers, pure and simple.
S. Flemming | November 15, 2007 1:19 PM | PermalinkThoes damm stans! it's really creepy they don't want to accept another person veiws weahter thier valid or not.they think one way
lalya | November 15, 2007 11:55 AM | PermalinkImma have to go with Stans...... not because they love the artist to death, but because they can't let you say anything less than perfect about the artist. When folks hate.. u know its hating and you move on... but when you tell a Stan that it wasnt your favorite song by the artist, then you are subject to a verbal "stoning". They should make pills for Stans, so they can calm down, lol.
J Renzo | November 15, 2007 11:28 AM | PermalinkI'm gonna go with Stans on this one. Haters can be rehabilitated...but most Stans are too far gone to ever come back.
priest-b | November 15, 2007 11:08 AM | Permalinkstans are. PERIOD!!!!!!!!!
ms.t | November 14, 2007 7:42 PM | Permalinki think haters are worse cuz they waste time to talk down on folks they "don't like"
yes | November 14, 2007 6:56 PM | PermalinkHmmm...this is a hard one, lol. I'm gonna have to go for the stan being the most annoying. Just because most stans don't have the ability to be objective about the person they idolize. But I must refrain from being a hypocrite...I totally stan for a few artists, lol. Brandy being one of them...I'm really partial to her music and her presence (or lack of presence) in the industry. So I guess I've annoyed more than a few folks myself, lol.
Love | November 14, 2007 5:08 PM | Permalink