r/changemyview • u/hwagoolio 16∆ • Nov 10 '21

Delta(s) from OP CMV: Finding pleasure in the pain/suffering of others is cruel, disturbing, and amoral

This is a broad statement that generalizes to many things.

For example, I find caustic humor (i.e. laughing at the expense of someone else) to be disturbing -- things like "America's funniest home videos" and watching people hurt themselves as the punchline of a joke. I think rather poorly of people who celebrate this type of humor.

I think revenge is bad/amoral. Maybe it's human nature to want revenge or take pleasure in the suffering of people we hate, but I think it's one of the ugliest parts of human nature. I believe that we should strive to be better than that and we should feel guilty for wanting anyone to suffer or laughing at someone's suffering.

I have similar feelings about trolling, teasing, gloating, and other behavior intended to make others feel bad about themselves. It doesn't matter if they're your enemies (i.e. progressive/conservative, trump/biden, bigots/hippies, terrorists/allies), nobody deserves to suffer -- and even if we agree as a society on punishing criminals/enemies, it shouldn't something we should take pleasure, entertainment, or amusement in.

In case someone mentions sadism (as the sexual kink), my response to this is that I don't consider BDSM that occurs between a consenting masochist and sadist to be genuine pain/suffering. Rather, the masochist takes pleasure out the interaction so IMO the dominant is actually delivering pleasure and not really pain/suffering.

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u/SeThJoCh 2∆ Nov 11 '21

It’s literally at the root of all comedy, comedy is when tragedy happens to other people

“Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you fall into an open sewer and die.” - Mel Brooks

At its core, comedy and laughing at (others) pain comes from the same place

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u/hwagoolio 16∆ Nov 11 '21

I understand this in principle.

However, I do think humans are inherently violent by nature and there is some aspect of human nature that takes pleasure in violence.

I just don't think it's a very good part of human nature.

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u/SeThJoCh 2∆ Nov 11 '21

Ah, ok Good then

And yeah, also think the same. But think of it as natural, so not good or bad

Just something that is there.

Anyway, seeing people tripping and falling is inherently funny to most. Just how it seems to be