Those of you who have been following the HBO series Girls may recognize the term Hate Read (coined in the second episode). If you don’t know this term – the girls on Girls talk about a book on dating that the main character, Hannah, calls a Hate Read; she loathed the book, and what it stood for, but couldn’t help reading it all the way through.

I thought this particular scene was funny because A.) I’m a reader and know exactly what she means by Hate Read and B.) I read a dating book a few years back that was the ultimate Hate Read. All I could do was tell people how much I hated everything that the author was saying, yet I could. not. stop. reading. it. Ugh.

It’s similar to the way I feel about Facebook; friends make fun of me because I love to get on and check out my “news feed” just to be embarrassed for the over-sharers I know. Why don’t I quit Facebook? Why don’t I just put down the incendiary book? Sometimes you’ve just gotta love to hate something. That sick pleasure of safely hating something that really doesn’t affect your life (hence, the safe part) is satisfying in a way that nothing else can be.

I might just start asking people what their latest Hate Read was so that I can make sure they have a proper sense of humor and desire to squirm. Am I alone, or are there other Hate Readers out there? Come on, spill your beans about your latest Hate Read.