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Suffering: Why Does It Entertain You?

sprinkles

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Why would you ever want to watch Man On Fire?
Or Taken?
I Am Legend? Bourne series?

How about zombie movies. Or Batman. Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Silence of the Lambs.

Please note that "It's not real" and "It's fiction" are not acceptable answers because this describes the media, not your motivation to watch it.

Why do these entertain you?
 

Stanton Moore

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Roller coasters
Fast cars/motorcycles
Sky diving

Controlled chaos leads to limited fear. People like to test the edge of their fear response.
 

MacGuffin

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I have an imagination.
 

Totenkindly

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Who says it's the suffering itself that is entertaining?

To me, suffering -> spritual enlightenment and is a natural part of the growth process of human beings (just as adversity tends to encourage growth in any kind of living creature, if the adversity isn't strong enough to destroy it ... just as assuredly as we build muscle strength by straining the muscle tissues within reasonable limits and having it reweave into a stronger configuration).

So why are you interpreting all of these things as being obsessed with suffering as the focal point? Suffering is something that occurs during challenges and growth.

(This also allows us the ability to distinguish between suffering that seems like it could produce positive strength and change, vs shows that seems to focus purely on suffering without any positive outcome.)
 

Aquarelle

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what's with all these threads lately that assume everyone derives enjoyment from the misfortune of others?
 
W

WALMART

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I believe George Romero once said humans enjoy witnessing the fraility of their condition.

Always seemed a good answer, to me.
 

Wolfie

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I like the adventure of it.

Stuff like the Saw movies... I don't like. I am actually disgusted that people watch movies like that and don't feel anything.
 

sprinkles

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Who says it's the suffering itself that is entertaining?

To me, suffering -> spritual enlightenment and is a natural part of the growth process of human beings (just as adversity tends to encourage growth in any kind of living creature, if the adversity isn't strong enough to destroy it ... just as assuredly as we build muscle strength by straining the muscle tissues within reasonable limits and having it reweave into a stronger configuration).

So why are you interpreting all of these things as being obsessed with suffering as the focal point? Suffering is something that occurs during challenges and growth.

(This also allows us the ability to distinguish between suffering that seems like it could produce positive strength and change, vs shows that seems to focus purely on suffering without any positive outcome.)

Yes. I somehow doubt most people are considering this, though. Also in the sense of enlightenment, suffering refers more to existential suffering.

what's with all these threads lately that assume everyone derives enjoyment from the misfortune of others?
So we don't derive enjoyment from the suffering of others. It's just a component in the recipe.

Can't have an omelette without breaking some eggs, right?

So, the question becomes: why must we contrive things that necessarily involve suffering - as in people being shot, blown up, chopped up - just because it lends itself to some kind of something, be it heroism or a good ending?

Also note that I'm not judging this. It's a simple question. I can ask a question without being all caught up in it.
 

sprinkles

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Also, the reason I made this thread is to demonstrate that arbitrary equivocations based on some personal moral imperative or experience are not always cool.

Just to let you know that I'm not seriously considering the idea that people in general actually enjoy suffering when they watch movies.

The whole thing was designed around a flawed premise, intentionally, so that you feel the effects of that premise rather than me just telling you with disconnected words.
 

Totenkindly

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Yes. I somehow doubt most people are considering this, though.

Well, that sounds like an assumption. Maybe they can't articulate it, but they still could be taking it similarly on a more primal, wordless level.

I think also from my observations that many guys view things differently -- suffering in pursuit of a goal or in conflict to overcome obstacles (a la Jason Bourne), well, the focus is not on feelings and and such, it's about being strong and persistent and competent to achieve your ends successfully. The pain is just one more realistic obstacle, rather than something to try to avoid.

This is faintly reminiscent of the debate over boys being competive and running around pretending to shoot guns when they are 4-5 years old, and how different people believe it means different things.

Also in the sense of enlightenment, suffering refers more to existential suffering.

Well, that might be the approach in more articulate/philosophical venues, but a lot of what has been described and a lot of the things experience by people are much more tangible.
 

sprinkles

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Well, that sounds like an assumption. Maybe they can't articulate it, but they still could be taking it similarly on a more primal, wordless level.

I think also from my observations that many guys view things differently -- suffering in pursuit of a goal or in conflict to overcome obstacles (a la Jason Bourne), well, the focus is not on feelings and and such, it's about being strong and persistent and competent to achieve your ends successfully. The pain is just one more realistic obstacle, rather than something to try to avoid.

This is faintly reminiscent of the debate over boys being competive and running around pretending to shoot guns when they are 4-5 years old, and how different people believe it means different things.
Indeed, and well said. Such is the difference between the visceral and the cerebral.

Well, that might be the approach in more articulate/philosophical venues, but a lot of what has been described and a lot of the things experience by people are much more tangible.
Right. Existential suffering is tangible, too. So in a sense you were quite correct. It includes things like growing old, getting sick, even existing in a world where bad things happen. But the goal in enlightenment is to overcome these things. Not to eliminate them, because that's impossible. But it's also not to use them to improve yourself as a thing unto itself. It seeks to transcend rather than build upon.
 

Salomé

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What's wrong with Bourne?

I suffered through Taken. I wouldn't call that entertainment though.
 

Salomé

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So why do you ask?

Are you trying to find out why *you* watched them?

Re: zombie movies, etc., I don't watch them. Too effin silly.
 

UniqueMixture

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Who says it's the suffering itself that is entertaining?

To me, suffering -> spritual enlightenment and is a natural part of the growth process of human beings (just as adversity tends to encourage growth in any kind of living creature, if the adversity isn't strong enough to destroy it ... just as assuredly as we build muscle strength by straining the muscle tissues within reasonable limits and having it reweave into a stronger configuration).

So why are you interpreting all of these things as being obsessed with suffering as the focal point? Suffering is something that occurs during challenges and growth.

(This also allows us the ability to distinguish between suffering that seems like it could produce positive strength and change, vs shows that seems to focus purely on suffering without any positive outcome.)

^This is brilliant.

It's about accepting reality loving it in spite of how trying it can be at times and finding a way to change it for the better.
 

sprinkles

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So why do you ask?

Are you trying to find out why *you* watched them?

Re: zombie movies, etc., I don't watch them. Too effin silly.
Asking an absurd question on purpose to demonstrate the absurdity of said question and its ilk.
 

sprinkles

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Riiiiiight. :confused:
It's simple. I was looking for people's innate responses to my fallacious equivocation.

If I had framed what I was actually doing, this thread would have gone entirely differently, and I wouldn't get what I'm actually looking for. I'd get 'right answer' responses instead.
 

Salomé

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Still drawing a :huh: from me.
 
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