Disclaimer: I am single. I am not writing this article from my high horse. I am writing it from the barren ground, the withered dirt and mud, right alongside you guys.

Over the past year or so, Twitter and social media have tossed the line “all men are trash” around more frequently than Gavin memes and Ariana Grande lyrics. Recently, I have heard this angsty condemnation of the male species penetrate my social conversations. “Men are trash, don’t worry about it,” “Dude, men are literal trash.” To be honest, I actually found myself saying it, too. And that was when I knew I needed to take action.

Second disclaimer: I am not a dude. I do not feel personally attacked by the statement “men are trash.” It just doesn’t sit right with me. First of all, no one is trash. Some people act like trash. Some people, at times, resemble trash. Some people are definitely trashy. But no one is literal trash.

Our generation loves to draw exaggerated, hyperbolic conclusions about just about anything. It is a trend that has infiltrated our cultural rhetoric. “This person is cancelled.”“This song saved my life.” I’m just as dramatic as the next person (actually, significantly more dramatic) and I find all of these sayings to be pretty damn funny. But there is something different about “all men are trash.” Dismissing and attacking an entire gender is taking things a little too far.

Third disclaimer: I know people don’t actually believe all men are trash. We just say it. I think there is value, though, in reconsidering our cultural rhetoric and evaluating the implications it has. Whether we realize it or not, drawing dramatic and exaggerated conclusions about groups of people can lead us to make irrational and distorted judgements. It may happen on a subconscious level, but I think we internalize these messages. It becomes part of our belief system and starts to influence our perception. We think other people are to blame for our problems, not ourselves.

So, let’s talk about the real crux of the problem: your taste in men.

When it comes to the soul-crushing tragedy of finding a guy who isn’t right for you, I’m usually a proponent of the “there’s plenty of fish in the sea” mentality. At Colgate the “sea” seems to be more of a tiny man-made lake, but that’s beside the point.

For the sake of universality, let’s talk about potato chips. There are many brands and flavors of potato chips. Lays Sour Cream & Onion potato chips are trash. Cape Cod Salt & Vinegar chips are not trash. We all have different tastes and preferences. The flavor I think is trash might be your favorite and my favorite flavor might be your trash. Chip selection is a highly personal process.

So, you finally find a brand and flavor you like. Let’s also recognize, though, that not every chip in the bag is the same. You find a flavor you like, you open the bag, some of the chips are green and discolored or really thin and flavorless. Aside from the duds, the rest of them are pretty damn satisfying.

So moral of the story? Think of men as your bag of chips. Diverse assortment, not always a healthy choice, relatively inexpensive, but also so incredibly satisfying when you’re in the mood for them. So, tear open the bag and start munching. I hope you picked a good flavor.

Contact Kara Schindler at [email protected].