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Comment by robertlagrant | Hacker News Reader

Just using the word "toxic" as a binary classifier of "things I don't like" is a problem. That includes people not being positive enough.

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I don't mind it that much for things, but I hate it used towards people.

I think few people are that bad that you need to isolate yourself from them. In most cases, you can learn not to take their criticism, not to give into their games...

To my mind, I think toxic is a byword for 'extreme behaviour'; and furthermore, extreme behaviour is often a symptom of a personality disorder at its most pronounced.

Except then it also becomes a label to classify the undesirable as extremist.

Maybe so! .. but more likely a narcissist or sociopath in my experience.

As often as not, those are precisely the people using these weapon words.

"Extremist" is a problem too. In 1787 banning slavery was an extremist position in the world.

I always assumed "toxic" means that it affects others it comes into contact with.

e.g. You've had a bad day at work:

Negative: Being a bit withdrawn and avoiding conversation

Toxically negative: Shouting at your wife and kids

I'd be a bit more charitable .. I'd label it as toxic if the extreme negative behaviour was a regular occurrence.

Like toxic skiing? Or toxic mountain climbing? Toxic marathon running?

I guess the definition should be revised to "extreme behaviour, directly having an overbearing effect on another person's wellbeing".

Maybe there could also be a side definition for running competitively in a nuclear contamination zone though!

Toxic = excessive to the point of being harmful

Hi, this put a smile on my face imagining it being used in place of 'ultimate'. Toxic Frisbee. :)

Now that I think about it, toxic endurance sports hits too close to home...

I think this is quite a good definition. After all, it's a key principle of toxicology - courtesy of Paracelsus - that the dose makes the poison. (Any woman who's had Botox can attest to this.) It certainly seems to be used that way in this article, in being applied to 'positivity'.

Toxic has become an autological word; that is to say, the figurative use of 'toxic' is toxic.

Here it’s justified because toxic emotions poison the mind, make you oblivious to trouble, make you chase mistaken priorities etc.

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