POP CULTURE NOW:«FUCK I HATE THAT NASTY LOW LIFE BITCH!

Such strong reactions are a function of the failing economy, the anonymity provided by the Internet, and the sense of community created by having one's feelings supported by others, says Dr. Jeff Gardere, a psychologist who has appeared on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" and "The View." "We all look for diversions," Gardere says, "especially now in this very tough economy. We need things that take our mind off of our problem. We get into this hero worship or hero hating, villain hating, with a lot of these pop culture so-called icons. They can be so irrelevant whether we like them or hate them. We allow ourselves those types of emotions without feeling guilty about it."

Boston Globe
Feb 2 2009