Haters gonna hate. It's just something they do, part of what they think of as ordinary life. No doubt they learned from watching others.

For those who have the hating habit, the question isn't whether or not to hate, but who to hate. You got chosen by the haters--in that and other situations--because they perceived you as a safe target, someone who would not or could not exact a consequence.

In most ways, hating is just another word for bullying. The point is making someone weaker suffer, for no reason than because they can.

I hope you can steer clear of those folks in the future. If that proves impossible, however, I suggest you turn them into toads.