Misery loves company

"Alright, on a technicality, feline death trumps human death." The character on the television said, clearly appalling the two he was addressing. Jack snorted, but stifled it, immediately. I mean, really -- a television show about a man who went to group therapy and made it into a contest of who's sad story was worse than the others'? How sick did you get?

"This is awful." Jack announced taking her dinner off the table and climbing the stairs. She was not surprised when neither her mother nor brother reacted, "I think I'll go watch my anime about the serial killer in post-Berlin Wall Germany." Now THAT was good, clean entertainment.

'You'd rather watch the show that keeps you up with nightmares -- nightmares, I'll add, about YOU turning into a serial killer, or becoming a psychopath -- than a very tongue-in-cheek comedy poking fun at the schadenfreude of American society?' Daline asked.

"There's a line between tongue-in-cheek mocking and verisimilitude that's so real, it's not funny." Jack pointed out. Daline said nothing, but Jack could tell that she clearly wasn't buying that this show had crossed that line.

'On a related note, though...' Piped up Kakeru -- Mendo Kakeru, whose name was a homonym for 'To give a person trouble' -- all too willingly, 'Do other Jedi like to compare themselves to others, even against what kinds of troubles they have? What do they think of seeing other people either enjoying someone else's misery or comparing their own misery to someone else's? Do they scoff at it, or do they think that it's only human?'

'Oh, Mendo...' James groaned, slapping his forehead. Kakeru blinked.

'Eh?'

'You just asked a bunch of Jedi if they disapprove of schadenfreude or competitive misery or if they engage in it? What're you gonna do if someone says yes to all four? The universe'll implode?'

New word of the day for me, schadenfreude. Reminds me of watching those shows where people hurt themselves accidentally. I like watching it to see failures in balance, awareness and how the body responds to such things and I react at feeling/imagining a little bit of the pain being felt. So while technically I am getting some form of enjoyment from the misfortune of others, the enjoyment is not that they are experiencing misfortune but the sharing of the experience personally and trying to learn from it. It's a minor distinction I guess but I think its a long way from someone who might actually enjoy seeing suffering for the sake of suffering.... or is it!!?? Am I wrong and its the same thing!?

EDIT: qualification so I dont sound like a sadist, I just mean stuff like on 'funniest' home videos programs.

I find that intriguing and am very interested in seeing who replies what!

Of course, keep in mind that we are all merely human and although our endeavors are to better ourselves; it is not always the practical reality of it!

Like I said… interesting topic!

OH God I hope I understand what you said in your post Sapadu, or you will all be reveling in my misfortune. So here goes...

I hate watching shows like Jack-Ass, horror movies, or reality shows. (maybe the last one isn't quite right but I hate them anyways)

For some reason I find it disturbing as to why people stop and stare at accident scenes and dead bodies. Well, actually, I know why they stare at dead bodies, but that is about inevitabilities and the fear of the unknown.

I don't know, I just get a bad feeling knowing someone is hurt or about to be embarrassed.I usually leave the room so I don't have to watch their pain. Maybe it's because I know how it feels to be in that position and I didn't like it.

OH God I hope I understand what you said in your post Sapadu, or you will all be reveling in my misfortune.

"Have I ever talked with Phortis Nespin before?" Jack asked. The name was familiar, certainly... but so were quite a lot of names on this forum.

'Y'all've replied to a lot of the same topics.' Kendalina offered, then shrugged, 'But, eh... whatever.'

James, meanwhile, updated the imaginary spreadsheet that categorized the poll for each responding member... not that the author would have a spreadsheet of such a thing...

'Name: Nespin. Stance: Doesn't agree with enjoying/ranking misery.' He clicked the 'save' button, definitively, 'Thanks! That's just what we were looking for!'

That's pretty cute. I kind of like the story version of a post.

Anywho, I think competetive misery in a television show directed towards comedy is pretty funny. It all depends on how it's presented. Are the people upset about it or are they generally discussing it and are in on the joke as well. I don't like pity parties and I definitely wouldn't want to win one, but I can appreciate when it's flipped for comedy. So, I guess I agree with the rest. Sadism and enjoying others pain - no. Being in on the joke with said person - yes.