Metaphorical?
Of course! When placed in that context, the phrase "I hate Steam" is a deep, philosophical statement which questions the nature of entities which have no proper physical existence and are bound only to this world through the minds of humans by those bonds which we call ideas, and that Steam corresponds to one of these ethereal entities is of significance. Furthermore, the hatred of those entities which cannot be sensed is interpreted not as hatred, but as fear of that which cannot be directly seen, smelt, touched, tasted, or heard. And this fear of ethereal entities directly corresponds to a more common phobia, that repelling notion of spirits of the deceased! That the name Steam would also see immediate association with the gaseous nature of phantoms cannot be a coincidence; but subtle and ingenious literary imagery!"
Thus, "I hate Steam" is a metaphor for "I am afraid of ghosts." That is brilliant.
