My main source of joy in the modern world

submitted by fschmidt from (en.wikipedia.org)

all 9 comments
sorted by:
new (suggested)
topinsightfulfun

[–]Node 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

Justice-based schadenfreude comes from seeing that behavior seen as immoral or "bad" is punished. It is the pleasure associated with seeing a "bad" person being harmed or receiving retribution. Schadenfreude is experienced here because it makes people feel that fairness has been restored for a previously un-punished wrong.

This may not exactly capture the basis of the feeling, as it's less 'bad behavior' than simply a malformation or a malfunctioning in the modern human. Still, there is a 'rightness' in seeing behavior reaping due consequence, whether for good or for bad.

[–]wary_observer 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

it's less 'bad behavior' than simply a malformation or a malfunctioning in the modern human

What is the difference between malfunctioning and bad behavior? In what way are modern humans malformed or malfunctioning?

[–]Node 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Bad behavior is more based on intent, whereas a malfunction is simply inherent to the current state of the behaver. Modern humans are for the most part disconnected from the earth, our environment, and God. The existence of large cities is one obvious proof. Intentionally heading towards our own extinction could be considered a malfunction, but alternatively could be cited as proof that we've recognized 'the bad', and are working to eliminate it...

From our embrace of technology that's ruining our environment and harming ourselves, to frivolously using up our critical resources at around 3 times the replacement rate, modern humans appear to be malfunctioning in every way that's possible.

[–]wary_observer 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Intentionally heading towards our own extinction... could be cited as proof that we've recognized 'the bad', and are working to eliminate it...

I'm doubtful of the average person's capacity to recognize much of anything beyond immediate concerns, much less act to correct it. Recent events seem to corroborate that.

[–]trident765 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

How can you feel this when modern people are not suffering?

[–]Node 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Modern people aren't suffering? Look around at modern people. Modern lives are nothing but suffering.

[–]fschmidt[S] 3 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

It's only starting, but some are suffering from the vaccine. I look forward to much more suffering in the future.

[–]fschmidt[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

A 2006 experiment about "justice served" suggests that men, but not women, enjoy seeing "bad people" suffer. The study was designed to measure empathy by watching which brain centers are stimulated when subjects observed via fMRI see someone experiencing physical pain. Researchers expected that the brain's empathy center of subjects would show more stimulation when those seen as "good" got an electric shock, than would occur if the shock was given to someone the subject had reason to consider "bad". This was indeed the case, but for male subjects, the brain's pleasure centers also lit up when someone got a shock that the male thought was "well-deserved".

[–][deleted] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I wonder how many of those men were Jews.