Wes Parham

“Haterology: The Way We View Dissent Is Changing Us” (2022)

"Haterology" is the study of the concept of haters, hating, and how it is affecting us as a culture and a people. In today's world the concept of a "hater" and "hating" is everywhere. From polarized politics, to sports conversations, to labeling people as the "ops" (opposition). However, over the course of its emergence the concept of a hater has shifted, from being about opposition to being about dissent. In “Haterology: The Way We View Dissent” Dr. Wes delves into a subtle and subconscious cultural shift in the concept of a “hater”. The shift from viewing a “hater” as someone trying to hold you back or stop you from succeeding, to viewing a “hater” as anyone who disagrees or dissents from your opinion. This shift while subtle has strong implications for critical thinking, the value of relationships, an individual’s happiness, cognitive entitlement, and more. Mixing traditional scholars with contemporary culture movies, music, personal experience, Taylor Swift and Gucci Mane lyrics, Supergirl episodes and more Dr. Wes takes the reader on a journey from how "Haterology" was discovered to why "Haterology" matters for our world and for you the reader.