Not my problem, mate!

D’you know what?

I’ve decided my (current) least favourite word is “tree-hugger”.

I don’t know if it’s made the OED yet, although it is enough of common parlance that it probably has.

So why do I dislike it so much?

Well, it has absolutely nothing to do with any pedantry about grammar or syntax on my part. In fact, the word itself is an excellent example of the versatility of the English language, and how a newly coined word, or in this case word combination, can be used in a new, subtle and imaginative manner to describe a concept previously undescribed.

It does, however, have everything to do with its meaning and usage.

I saw an message on the BBC news website the other day, where the poster, replying in opposition to another point of view, used the phrase “vegetarian, sandal-wearing tree-huggers”.

The opinion that was being opposed was clearly preposterous, but the best argument this poster could come up with was “vegetarian, sandal-wearing tree-huggers”.

Now I’m neither a particularly demonstrative nor reactionary person, but I do consider myself a bit of a tree-hugger.

I think there’s nothing wrong with that, but “tree-hugger” is used as a term of derision and ridicule by many people against any number of others on this Earth who themselves have a greater or lesser concern for the welfare and fate of the planet.

As if such concern is somehow A Bad Thing.