[annoyedgrunt84]

Aside from the obvious serial killers etc. why do you think we love to hate people? Especially why do we love to watch people who are already struggling fail?

[Skeezyks]

There used to be an old saying: "Everyone's strange but me & thee. And sometimes thee acts funny." I would presume this may well go back to the earliest development of our species. There would have been many eons during which having anyone not be in "lock-step", so to speak, with the group would have hindered if not endangered the whole clan. So chances are there are still portions of our brain that are wired to resist any kind of behavior that's outside the established norm. At least that's my personal, non-professional perspective on the subject.

[annoyedgrunt84]

I also think that a lot of people tend to "go along with it" to prevent being thrown out of their current group as well. If they extend compassion to someone who is struggling they might make a new friend and not need their old peer group as much, or they might find that the person is genuinely difficult to get along with, even if you feel empathy and compassion for them, and end up rejected by their former peer group as well, a lose-lose situation that is not worth the risk.

[bpcyclist]

If you are talking about what a jerk Marge is, you aren't talking about me.

[*Beth*]

I have wondered the same most of my life. I don't want to see anyone hurt, or fail. To witness those things cause me to feel heartbroken and worried about humanity.

Asking such a question is pointless. It's like asking, "why is the sky blue?" or "why does racism exist?" or "Why are people mean/nice?"

There is no one answer to this question. It depends on the angle you want to take on it: scientific, biological, social, economical, religious, spiritual, philosophical, pop culture, familial, emotional, psychological...you cannot answer this question as a yes/no.

[AceRimmer]

Society weeds out the weak.

[MsLady]

Survival of the fittest, animal instinct?

[Have Hope]

In my honest opinion, I think many people who are unhappy in life or who are unhappy with themselves are the ones who like to see struggling people fail, or they like to see the happier people be brought down in life by a rung or two. Happy people who are well adjusted emotionally do NOT wish ill upon others. Only unhappy and envious people do.

[Open Eyes]

Well there certainly is a lot of it on TV and in movies even children’s stories and movies.

[mote.of.soul]

I can't really relate to the idea of loving to watch people struggling and failing, at all. I don't even know what that means. But I do know that vindictiveness and hatred, perhaps cruelty too, are negative qualities simply inherent in a good portion of any given population. They're human traits present in many people to varying degrees. So, those negative qualities shared by loads of people ie., a 'society' may lie at the root of the problem, I think. People delight in their own evil, you might say.

I don't love watching struggling people fail. What sort of people do you like to see fail and why?

Serial killers and such like do not deserve sympathy, they do not give any to their victims. Even then i don't actively hate them, waste of energy.

[annoyedgrunt84]

Just to clarify I don’t like to watch people struggling at all. I want to see life made easier for everyone. I just seem to notice “water cooler talk” at some workplaces I’ve been in for example, delighting in talking bad about the new person. Seeming to be gleeful about the fact that they will probably be let go by the company because they can’t get it together.

[eskielover]

Originally Posted by annoyedgrunt84

Just to clarify I don’t like to watch people struggling at all. I want to see life made easier for everyone. I just seem to notice “water cooler talk” at some workplaces I’ve been in for example, delighting in talking bad about the new person. Seeming to be gleeful about the fact that they will probably be let go by the company because they can’t get it together.

You know, some people make their own lives difficult by the choices they make & until they LEARN to make better choices there is NOTHING anyone can do to make their lives easier. All we can do is to not encourage or validate their bad decisions that keep them in the place they are. We can encourage them & talk them through making better decisions so they know there are better options but no one can MAKE them make choices that will make their lives better.

I have been dealing with people like this lately because I have been helping my neighbor who owns the farm next to me deal with the workers he had helping him fix to the falling down home there. I get to chat & have discussions in my truck with there people, most who have made bad choices & done jail time. Have had some interesting coversations about why those choices & what better choices they could have made. Bottom line.....we can't live their lives for them & we can't make their decisions but we can try to touch their lives in a positive way with thoughts on how to better handle situations in the future & hope that we have been able to plant some seeds for them to think on.

The problem I see with society is that many hate the conflict or think they just HAVE TO make those people "feel good" about themselves & their life & that will make them WANT TO change BUT if they only have the bad validated & never have been challenged to think other than how they think, that will NEVER happen. Society needs to be a positive force, not a silent one. (Have bern thinking on this a lot lately given the lives I have been around lately) I am more than willing to befriend & provide what help is needed & what I can but being "friends socially" is a whole different thing. I hate to ser them struggle BUT I can't change who & what they are....ONLY they can do that.