Philosophical question: Why do we rubberneck ?

[wvrevy]

Not much annoys me more than people stopping to gawk when there is an accident, and I can't figure out why they do it. Even highly publicized murder cases such as the Peterson thing (of which there are at least two seperate threads going on here right now) amount to little more than peaking through the window at somebody else's private tragedy....so why ? Is it just Schadenfreude ? Are we really made to feel better by not being the one everyone is looking at ?

On top of that, why is it that some cases (the Peterson trial) garner so much national media attention ? I guarantee you that there have been dozens of pregnant women murdered in this country just since the start of the trial....Why are they any less important than this one ?

Sorry...just a pet peeve of mine about people that I just can't figure out. If you're following the Peterson trial, maybe you can explain it to me....

 

[Jungle Skipper]

One word:

Schadenfreude

To quote the Browadway musical Avenue Q....it's human nature to be intrigued by pain of others...We feel better when bad stuff happens to others because it didnt happen to us....like feeling warm inside while watching people outside run in the rain..its bizarre..it stinks, but its the truth.

Jungle Josh

 

[FreshTressa]

To gain information on what made it happen so we can keep it from happening to us.

 

[wvrevy]

Originally posted by Jungle Skipper
One word:

Schadenfreude

To quote the Browadway musical Avenue Q....it's human nature to be intrigued by pain of others...We feel better when bad stuff happens to others because it didnt happen to us....like feeling warm inside while watching people outside run in the rain..its bizarre..it stinks, but its the truth.

Jungle Josh

You mean, like watching figure skaters fallin' on their...no, wait....you mean like being on an elevator and someone calls out "Hold the door! " NO....Schadenfreude....mm Lady, that's what stairs are for"



(great show, by the way)

 

[Carl]

I never had heard of Shadenfreude before. Thank you so much for explaining this to me. I have been banging my head against a wall for many years trying to figure this one out. I always say, when I see all those people slowing down at an accident, "Didn't any of these people in cars have anywhere that they were going before they saw this accident?" When I'm in a car, I most usually am heading somewhere and don't want to slow down just to see some blood. And it wouldn't surprise me to see a FEW people slowing down because of their lust for blood, but it is SOOOO many that do that! I've actually had a few people admit to me that they always slow down, because "I want to see if there is anything I can do to help." Yeah, sure. Like all those police and ambulances can't handle it.

 

[manchurianbrownbear]

wvrevy,

I can't believe you haven't concluded that George Bush is somehow responsible for this phenomenon!

 

[minniepumpernickel]

I guess it creates drama in our other wise dull, boring humdrum lives.

Let me first state for the record that if I have the opportunity to help at an accident site, as opposed to rubber necking I would gladly do that instead.

 

[Saffron]

I was just going to say that MP! I slow down to look at car wrecks, bicylce wrecks, kids crying, etc. etc. in case someone needs help. I've stopped and assisted several times. If the police or ambulance squad are there, I don't look, I don't want to know.

About the Peterson case? Beats me. I haven't followed it one bit. I can tell you about the bits and pieces I've heard as the story floated out from my mother's television set, but I'm not interested. It's not that I don't feel sorry for the victims and their loved ones, I just don't understand the national coverage or interest?

Yet ... I was very caught up in the OJ trial. And that sort of crime happens all too often, every single day, so I'm not sure what the difference is/was.

 

[Jungle Skipper]

Originally posted by wvrevy
You mean, like watching figure skaters fallin' on their...no, wait....you mean like being on an elevator and someone calls out "Hold the door! " NO....Schadenfreude....mm Lady, that's what stairs are for"



(great show, by the way)

Yuppers its great...I'm listening to the album right now.... Havent seen the acctual show yet, but I've read the play book and love the soundtrack!

Jungle Josh